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How to Show Business Impact and Increase Your Value as a PM
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.
Time Stamped Notes: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.
Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at https://www.patreon.com/TheProductPorch
Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com
View all episodes
By Ryan Cantwell, Todd Blaquiere, Joe GhaliProduct 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.
Time Stamped Notes: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.
Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at https://www.patreon.com/TheProductPorch
Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com