Why is it so hard for product and sales to get along?

In this episode, Todd Blaquiere and Ryan Cantwell dig into one of the most persistent pain points in product management: why the product-sales relationship so often breaks down, and what we can do to fix it. Using role-play, real stories, and a few uncomfortable truths, they unpack how deal fit and product-market fit pull in different directions. Then they explore how to navigate those tensions without becoming the "chief no officer."

You’ll walk away with practical ways to respond to sales requests, build trust without bending to every feature ask, and become the kind of product partner sales actually wants in the room.

If you're tired of awkward relationships with sales, urgent "add it to the roadmap" requests, and never-ending feature tug-of-wars, pull up a chair on the porch. We’ve got ideas to calm the chaos, win more deals, and stop the swirl.

Introduction and Setting the Stage
[00:00] Fighting Like Siblings - Todd compares product and sales to his kids: always fighting, but capable of harmony.
[02:45] Shared Goals, Different Worlds - The hosts introduce the recurring tensions between product and sales.

The Product and Sales Relationship
[06:10] Deal Fit vs. Market Fit - Sales chases deals; product chases strategy. It’s no wonder they clash.
[08:30] Competing Priorities - Why product sees the long game and sales lives quarter-to-quarter.

Common Frustrations and Misunderstandings
[12:00] The Feature Firehose - Sales promises features that don’t exist. Product becomes the “no” team.
[14:50] Roadmap Roulette - When shifting priorities make it feel like there is no real plan.

Empathy and Understanding
[19:30] Listen First, Then Build - How PMs can use empathy to cut through confusion.
[21:15] What Sales Really Needs - Beyond features, it’s about confidence and clarity.

Benefits of Collaboration
[24:40] Sit in on Sales Calls - The quickest way to understand customers—and build better products.
[27:10] Stronger Together - Real examples of when sales and product clicked.

Effective Communication and Documentation
[30:15] Tell Them What’s Coming - The value of visibility into roadmaps and release notes.
[33:00] Docs That Actually Help - Tips on making product info sales-friendly.

Building Trust and Reducing Assumptions
[36:20] Stop the Swirl - Why clarity, transparency, and shared wins build trust.
[39:00] The Relationship That Matters - Final thoughts on how to make product-sales work long term.

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Ever feel like you're following frameworks, but still not sure if you're actually doing product management?

In this episode, Todd Blaquiere, Joe Ghali, and Ryan Cantwell lay out their personal tier lists to define what makes product management real. They debate which principles are fundamental laws - those you can’t break without breaking product - and which are just flexible preferences shaped by context.

From "outcomes over outputs" to stakeholder management, the conversation challenges conventional wisdom and surfaces surprising disagreements. It’s a candid look at what separates core product truths from passing trends.

If you’ve ever struggled to know which product advice is worth following and which ones you can safely ignore, pull up a chair for this episode of the Product Porch.

Introduction and Podcast Overview
[00:00] Internal products – Is product market fit always required?

The Product Management Tier List
[00:35] Tier list concept – Sorting laws, principles, and practices

Ryan's Tier List
[02:25] The cone tip – Defining non-negotiables
[04:00] Best practices – Flexible tools and methods
[05:30] Trends – Temporary tactics and ceremonies

Joe’s Tier List
[06:03] Product concert – Priorities in customer value and impact
[07:00] JTBD – Why it’s core for Joe
[08:00] Measuring success – Linking problems to business results

Todd’s Tier List
[08:22] Spinning top – Laws, principles, practices, style
[09:30] Product law – Break these, break the product
[10:28] Practices vs. principles – What’s flexible vs. fixed

Debating Product Laws
[11:00] “You are not the user” – Universal agreement
[12:00] Outcomes over outputs – A debated essential
[15:04] Team sport – When product requires collaboration

Product Principles
[17:56] Saying no – Strategy and focus
[20:00] Agile mindset – Beyond the process
[22:30] Working with vendors – Can you still do product?

Product Practices & Styles
[24:38] Roadmaps, personas, roles – What shifts by org
[26:00] Stakeholder management – Style or standard?
[28:00] JTBD – Tool or foundational belief?

Trends & Tools
[34:36] Tools & templates – What doesn’t define product
[36:00] Product market fit – Still relevant for internal teams?
[38:00] Positioning – Practice, not principle
[39:09] Product-led growth – Trend or truth?

Takeaways & Close
[39:28] Define your own tiers – What matters to you?
[41:00] Training ≠ truth – Not all practices are essential
[42:00] Share your tier list – Hosts want to hear from you

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Why does imposter syndrome hit product managers so hard, and what can we do about it?

In this episode, Todd Blaquiere and Ryan Cantwell dig into why imposter syndrome shows up so often in product management. From vague job descriptions to being accountable without real authority, they unpack what makes this role especially prone to self-doubt.

We share personal stories, talk through common patterns like the imposter cycle, and ask the bigger question: is this about us, or the environments we’re working in?

We also cover what managers can do to support their teams and why that nagging feeling might not mean you're broken. It might just mean you're growing.

Before you second-guess your seat at the table, pull up a chair on the porch. This conversation might remind you why you’re exactly where you need to be.

• ProductPlan article — 92% of product managers report experiencing imposter syndrome
  https://blog.academyofpm.com/p/imposter-syndrome
• PubMed study — Research showing 70% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers
  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10060463
• The Imposter Cycle (Pauline Clance) — The foundational model describing how imposter syndrome repeats itself
  PDF download

Introduction to Imposter Syndrome
[00:00] Kicking off - Why PM is a breeding ground for imposter syndrome
[00:28] Setting the vibe - Honest, practical, personal
[01:03] Todd’s first PM gig - A story from the LA Times
[03:00] 92% stat - Most PMs feel this way

Personal Experiences and Imposter Syndrome
[03:26] Humidity metaphor - PM creates the perfect climate
[04:11] Type A vibes - Ryan on perfectionism
[05:48] No map - Entering PM without a guide
[07:00] Credentials gap - Everyone else seems legit
[08:30] No control - But still on the hook
[11:00] Feedback flood - Too much input, all the time

The Imposter Cycle and Its Effects
[12:18] The cycle - Overwork, success, repeat
[14:00] Todd’s report - Proof through spreadsheets
[16:00] Failure bias - We remember the bad stuff
[17:30] What helps - Use feedback, play to your strengths

Risks and Implications of Imposter Syndrome
[22:03] Vision blocks - Doubt clouds strategy
[23:30] Trust erosion - Over-talking or going silent
[24:30] Innovation drag - Self-doubt stifles creativity

Individual vs. Environment
[28:39] Big Q - Is it you or the system?
[29:30] Context matters - Good environments help
[30:00] Growth signal - Maybe it’s not a flaw

Hot Takes and Final Thoughts
[31:21] Startup vs enterprise - Which fuels the doubt?
[33:00] Metrics? - Not the magic fix
[34:00] Good imposter syndrome? - Maybe a little humility helps
[36:05] Final note - You’re not broken

Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

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