Product managers don’t just bring new products into the world. They move the needle on the business. In this episode, Todd Blaquiere and Ryan Cantwell sit down with multi-time Chief Product Officer David Nash to unpack what “moving the needle on the business” really means.

They cover how to connect product work to financial outcomes like ARR, EBITDA, and net revenue retention, why empathy is the secret to executive trust, and how to find business impact in the least glamorous places. David shares a story about retiring old on-prem software that saved his company $150 million, proving that the unsexy work might just be the most valuable.

If you’re trying to influence without authority or want your next roadmap conversation to land with the CFO, this episode will help you think, talk, and act in business terms that get results.

Pull up a chair on the porch, and learn how to turn product decisions into measurable business results.

Introduction and Setup
[00:00] Todd and Ryan introduce guest David Nash, a multi-time Chief Product Officer.
[00:57] David outlines the theme: how PMs can “move the needle” by linking product work to business results.

What It Means to Move the Needle
[01:55] Why product teams must focus on outcomes that matter to CEOs and investors.
[05:18] The question every executive asks: how does each dollar in R&D create revenue or profit?

From Product Metrics to Business Metrics
[06:39] Understanding the difference between product metrics (adoption, UX) and business metrics (ARR, churn, EBITDA).
[09:30] How to translate “product-speak” into “business-speak.”

Learning to Speak Finance
[10:40] Why every PM should understand basic financial metrics.
[12:33] David’s advice for learning the language of finance and knowing what “good” looks like.

The $150 Million Lesson
[15:55] David’s ADP story: retiring old software that saved $150 million.
[16:30] Why unglamorous work can have the biggest business impact.

Building Trust and Influence
[17:30] How empathy helps PMs earn executive trust.
[25:00] The power of sharing business goals with your team.
[31:00] Building cross-functional partnerships that drive results.

Final Takeaways
[34:30] Celebrate measurable wins and make impact visible.
[35:42] “Demand to know your business outcomes” — David’s closing advice.
[37:30] Todd and Ryan reflect on how they’ll apply the lessons.

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If you could see product management through a CEO’s eyes, would it change the way you lead? In this episode of the Product Porch, Todd Blaquiere and Joe Ghali sit down with Ben Clarke, former CEO of BetterRX, to explore what executive leaders look for in top-tier product managers.

Ben shares his journey from KPMG to Amazon to leading BetterRX through a product-led transformation. He opens up about why product management is the beating heart of an organization, how product managers can build trust and alignment with executives, and what it means to truly put the product team in a position to drive growth.

Whether you’re looking to build credibility at the leadership table or just trying to speak the CEO’s language, this conversation is packed with insight you can use right away.

Listen now to understand how executives think, and how to make your work matter to them. So pull up a chair, we can’t wait to see on the porch!

Introduction and Opening Remarks
[00:00] Episode intro – Joe and Todd introduce the discussion on seeing product management through a CEO’s eyes while welcoming guest, Ben Clarke, former CEO of BetterRX.
[00:25] CEO mindset – Ben explains that a CEO’s main job is growth and why PMs need to understand that.

Evolution of Product Management at BetterRx
[01:31] Early challenges – Ben shares how BetterRx operated without formal product management in its early days.
[02:38] Building a function – Ben describes the shift toward a data-driven, product-led organization.
[04:37] Failing fast – Ben talks about learning to iterate quickly and embed experimentation into culture.

Becoming a Product-Led Company
[05:42] Cultural shift – Ben reflects on the company value “there’s always a better way” and how it encouraged innovation.
[08:06] Product first – Ben outlines how product decisions guided marketing, sales, and customer experience.
[10:01] Reinforcing mindset – Todd recalls how daily routines and metrics kept the product-led culture strong.

Hiring and Leadership Lessons
[10:56] Finding leaders – Ben explains what he looked for when hiring the first VP of Product.
[12:52] Performance and values – Ben highlights why consistent results and cultural fit mattered most.
[15:11] Product drives growth – Ben positions product as central to strategy and revenue creation.

Building Executive Trust
[16:41] Expert alignment – Ben shares why CEOs rely on leaders who are experts in their domains.
[19:10] Healthy pushback – Ben encourages PMs to challenge decisions respectfully to find better answers.
[22:20] Trust through transparency – Ben advises staying open, sharing progress, and communicating results.
[23:34] Stay ahead – Ben urges PMs to anticipate needs and bring ideas before they’re asked.

Emotional Jobs to Be Done
[28:00] Understanding the CEO – Ben explains that CEOs want partners who help them grow the business.
[28:45] Speaking the language – Todd connects this to communicating strategy and aligning priorities effectively.

Key Takeaways and Closing Reflections
[30:30] Acting like a leader – Joe reminds PMs to propose solutions and lead with confidence.
[32:10] Building trust – Ben emphasizes that mutual respect and open dialogue make work faster and more rewarding.
[33:27] Final thoughts – Todd and Joe close by encouraging PMs to view their work through the CEO’s perspective.

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Ever find yourself wondering if great product ideas really start with a problem… or if sometimes the solution shows up first and you just have to make sense of it? In this episode, Ryan and Joe dig into the messy middle of product discovery, where ideas aren’t magic and where PMs are constantly juggling customer discovery, internal requests, and the pressure to move fast.

They share examples like Juicero and Google Glass, explore what actually makes an idea worth validating, and unpack how product managers can avoid falling in love with a solution too early. You’ll hear what to do when stakeholders hand you fully baked ideas, how to test assumptions quickly, and why continuous discovery matters no matter where the idea came from.

If you’re tired of playing referee between problem-first and solution-first thinking, pull up a chair on the porch and let this conversation help you figure out your next move, spark a better debate with your team, or rethink how you approach your own backlog.

Introduction and Opening Remarks
[00:00] Episode intro – Sets up the core debate around where great product ideas begin.
[00:24] Framing the question – Introduces the tension between problem-first and solution-first thinking.

Caffeine and Product Camp Insights
[00:40] Problem-space reminder – Highlights why products fail when teams skip understanding the real problem.
[01:17] Jumping to solutions – Explains risks of moving too quickly into solution mode without customer insight.

The Chicken or the Egg Debate
[02:38] Origin of ideas – Argues that ideas form from observing frustration or unmet needs.
[03:17] Two development paths – Defines problem-first vs. solution-first approaches.
[05:14] Juicero example – Shows how solutions fail when they don’t solve a meaningful problem.
[06:19] Desire-driven products – Notes that some successful products satisfy wants, not problems.

Advice for Product Managers
[07:52] Testing assumptions – Encourages validating ideas instead of committing too early.
[11:07] Avoid solution bias – Emphasizes staying curious before investing in any one idea.
[13:04] Share context early – Recommends involving cross-functional partners throughout discovery.
[13:45] Balanced backlogs – Suggests mixing new ideas with solution requests that need validation.

Product Lifecycle and Strategy
[14:47] Start with problems – Advises beginning net-new work with discovery to reduce risk.
[19:57] Competing in growth – Warns against copying competitors without understanding customer needs.
[25:48] Responding to shifts – Describes adapting to market changes through broader exploration.
[27:34] Spotting signals – Highlights listening for emerging customer and market cues.
[29:38] Embracing ambiguity – Explains why navigating the messy middle matters more than choosing a side.
[30:09] Balancing inputs – Reinforces that both problems and solutions can be valid starting points.

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