In this episode of the Product Pals Podcast, Charlotte and Kiet sit down with Ryan Huynh — Product Manager and co-organiser of ProductTank Sydney.

Ryan’s career has spanned AI research, Big Four consulting, and product management. He shares how consulting gave him a toolkit of frameworks, delivery discipline, and stakeholder skills — and how those translate into product craft today.

🔑 What you’ll hear:

• Ryan’s pivot from data & AI into PM, and the big lessons learned

• Launching AQ Intelligence from 0→1 and finding product-market fit

• Why he believes the heart of PM is making good decisions

• Consulting skills that give PMs an edge in strategy and execution

• How AI is shaping his workflow, learning, and view of PM’s future

• His advice to his younger self: learn economics to understand decision-making

💡 Plus: Rapid-fire fun, contrarian takes, and a thought-provoking future-guest question:👉 “If product managers don’t exist anymore, what’s the biggest disaster you see?”

🎧 Link in first comment  Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your pods.

🍪 Knowledge Snacks (from the episode)

🍊Freakonomics Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt (book) https://amzn.to/466fSIt (Charlotte’s recommendation)

Welcome to the very first PM Spotlight — a special series from Product Pals celebrating the real stories behind product management.

In this debut episode, we sit down with Larry Lai, whose career spans continents and industries: from game design and livestreaming in China, to product roles at tech giants like Tencent and Huya, and now leading SMB livestream products at TikTok Sydney.

Larry shares candid reflections on:

🎮 The many “flavours” of product management, and how roles shift across industries and cultures

🧩 The overlap between Product Management and Design — and why it matters more than we think

👥 The leap from individual contributor to product leader — and the challenges of leading with purpose

🤖 How AI is reshaping product work, and why it could unlock the rise of one-person companies

🔮 His optimistic vision for the future of product management

This is an honest, inspiring conversation on leadership, design, and staying curious in an AI-driven world.

👉 Tune in and celebrate Larry’s journey behind the PM title.

📚 The Design of Everyday Things — Don Norman (Larry’s recommendation)

🎧 Gamecraft Podcast — Listen here (Kiet’s recommendation)

🍪 Knowledge Snacks (from the episode)

Thank you for tuning into this special bonus episode of Product Pals!

After our original chat with Will during Men’s Health Month, we were overwhelmed by the heartfelt responses from our listeners.

In this short follow-up, Will shares the incredible feedback he received, and we dig a little deeper into why these conversations on men’s mental health are so important.

We also touch on topics like:

• Societal expectations and generational shifts in emotional awareness

• AI tools as unconventional support for reflection and self-growth

• How to prioritise emotional fitness like physical health
  

💙 Helpful Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

• Australia’s Mental Health Treatment Plan Access up to 10 individual and 10 group sessions annually through Medicare with a referral from your GP. 🔗 Learn more here
  

• Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Gym App Build your mental fitness with daily emotional check-ins and easy-to-use resources. 🔗 Explore the app here Note: Product Pals is not affiliated with this app—we just think it’s a great tool worth sharing.
  

• ChatGPT Reflective Prompt Will mentioned during the podcast (for personal insight and growth):
  Disclaimer: This is not a substitute for professional mental health support.

  
  

Act like an analytical and executive psychologist, knowing me well through my behavior, way of thinking, and how I perform.

Dive into my personality through five lenses:

(1) Actual strengths

(2) Deepest weaknesses

(3) Recurring patterns of failure

(4) Areas I avoid

(5) Skills and opportunities I neglect even though they could change my life.

Don’t flatter me at all. Use a serious and stern tone, as if my professional future depends on this analysis.

After the analysis, present me with a three-stage development plan:

(1) What to stop immediately

(2) What to start immediately

(3) What to rebuild from scratch.

Portable Bathtub link Charlotte mentioned (not sponsored links):

📬 Connect with our guest and Product Pals

Want to reach out to Will directly? He reads every message—just reference this episode!

• Instagram: @hello_willly
  

• LinkedIn: William Ly
  

💌 You can also contact us via LinkedIn or at [email protected].

Let’s keep the conversation going 💬

In this episode of Product Pals, Charlotte and Kiet sit down with their good friend William Ly for a casual chat on mental health—just in time for men’s health month in Australia.

This isn’t a professional how-to guide, but rather a vulnerable conversation about recognising our own struggles, knowing when to ask for help, pondering the pros and cons of AI-powered therapy, and practical ways to support loved ones when we spot the warning signs.

Tune in for real stories, honest reflections and friendly banter, as we shine a light on why mental wellbeing matters.

Some helpful links:

• https://www.ruok.org.au/findhelp
• https://www.beyondblue.org.au/
• https://www.lifeline.org.au/

In this episode of Product Pals, Charlotte and Kiet return to the heart of product management — product thinking — and unpack how it connects with the broader Influence-Dynamics Map (IDM). They dive into the real differences between product and systems thinking, demystify how to craft vision without the corporate fluff, and break down why execution and operations deserve their own spotlight (even if they often get lumped together).

Expect practical frameworks, honest reflections, and relatable stories from the product trenches — all aimed at helping you think more clearly, act more strategically, and lead with more intention.

📚 If you’re keen to dig deeper, we’ve gathered some of our favourite reads and resources below. A few links are affiliate ones — so if you do click and buy, you might be funding a future Product Pals coffee (or at least part of my flat white). No pressure, just pals supporting pals.

🔗 Further Reading & Resources

• Product Pals Medium Blog: Influence-Dynamic Map Overview

• Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman → amzn.to/4mE2Byn

• Start With Why – Simon Sinek → amzn.to/4kJUxdF

• Playing to Win – A.G. Lafley & Roger Martin → amzn.to/3GYtpc6

• Escaping the Build Trap – Melissa Perri → amzn.to/45eO4CE

• Melissa Perri’s LinkedIn Post on PM Careers

• Spotify Squad Health Check Model

In this short bonus episode, Charlotte and Kiet reflect on our first-ever Product Pals live event at the Atlassian office in Sydney. From energising conversations to some truly thoughtful feedback, we’re taking it all on board as we evolve the Influence Dynamic Map model and future episodes. It’s a quick debrief filled with gratitude and next steps – tune in!

Product managers are often pressured to make quick decisions—but what if taking a systems thinking approach led to better, more strategic solutions?

In this episode of Product Pals, Charlotte and Kiet uncover how systems thinking helps PMs step back, assess the bigger picture, and make smarter decisions. We discuss:

🔹 The importance of System Thinking and how does it different from default mental model

🔹 how to leverage our Product Pals’ original Dynamics-Influence Model - Systems Thinking for PMs to discover and explore different dynamic across all layers that influence your decisions

🔹 Practical tools and advices to enhance your strategic thinking and decision-making skills

If you want to go beyond short-term solutions and develop a strategic mindset for long-term impact, this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and elevate your approach to problem-solving!

Failure is tough to face, but it’s also one of the most powerful tools for growth.In this episode of Product Pals, Charlotte and Kiet share candid reflections on their biggest failures and how these experiences have shaped their approach to work and collaboration.

From early career missteps to hard-earned lessons, they dive into the uncomfortable but necessary practice of embracing failure as a learning opportunity.

Discover how fostering a culture of openness and trust can help teams turn mistakes into innovation and create an environment where everyone thrives. If you’ve ever struggled with setbacks or want to explore how failure can fuel your growth, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in now and join the conversation!

In this episode of Product Pals, Charlotte and Kiet tackle the often-overlooked connection between product management and finance. From Charlotte's personal journey of rediscovering her relationship with money to Kiet’s experiences with financial modelling, they dive into how understanding the numbers can transform your product strategy. They share practical tips for building financial knowledge, including how to tackle the vulnerability of discussing money, the importance of mentorship, and the power of financial models in decision-making. Whether you're new to product management or a seasoned pro, join us for insights on how finance can help you make better, more confident product decisions and drive real business impact!

In this episode of Product Pals, we dive into continuous learning and growth as product managers.

From structured courses to on-the-job learning, Charlotte and Kiet share their favourite approaches and challenges in keeping their knowledge up to date, including how to seek and keep our motivation, what are the more accessible channels of learning in a budget and time constrained environment and how to prioritise your learning backlog . We explore the Shu Ha Ri model of mastery, the "zone of genius," and finding purpose in work.

If you’re navigating your own growth as a PM, tune in for insights on curiosity, purpose, and career alignment.