The Product Podcast

Warner Music President on Transforming Tech from Cost Center to Revenue Generator | Ariel Bardin | E268


Listen Later

In this episode, Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia sits down with Ariel Ban, President of Technology at Warner Music Group, live from the ProductCon stage. Warner Music Group, home to some of the world’s most iconic artists, is undergoing a bold transformation under Ariel’s leadership. A former Google and YouTube executive, Ariel brings a startup mindset to a 900-person organization within one of the most tradition-rich industries: music.

In this conversation, Ariel shares his unfiltered approach to digital transformation—from replacing bloated MVP culture with his “Minimum Proud Product” philosophy to building real-time dashboards that empower artists with actionable data. He also dives into the infamous “3-sh***ts” framework he uses to evaluate product managers, and how he’s instilling a culture of trust, ownership, and creativity across a global tech org.

What you’ll learn:
- Ariel’s journey from big tech to the music industry and his unique take on what transformation really looks like.
- Why MVPs are a “disease” and how to build products artists and fans are proud of.
- The strategy behind launching artist-facing tools like real-time revenue dashboards.
- How Warner Music is leveraging AI to unlock value in a highly creative, fast-changing space.


Key Takeaways👇:
-
Redefining Digital Transformation: Ariel argues that real change starts with culture, not tech—and shares how to lead with clarity at scale.
- Artist-Centric Product Thinking: Empowering creators through data requires more than just tools; it requires trust, transparency, and a proud product experience.
- From MVP to MPP: His “Minimum Proud Product” philosophy offers a sharp critique of default startup practices and a new way to drive quality and impact.

This episode is brought to you by Persona, the adaptable identity platform that helps businesses fight fraud, meet compliance requirements, and build trust. These days, it's easier than ever for fraudsters to steal voices, faces, and identities. That's where Persona comes in; helping leading companies to securely verify individuals and businesses worldwide, providing flexible building blocks to create tailored verification flows that maximize conversion while minimizing risks.
Whether you work at a startup or large enterprise, you can get started for free here:  https://withpersona.com/productschool

Social Links:
- Follow our Podcast on Tik Tok here
- Follow Product School on LinkedIn here
- Join Product School's free events here
- Find out more about Product School here

Credits:
Host: Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia
Guest: Ariel Bardin

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Product PodcastBy Product School

  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3
  • 4.3

4.3

167 ratings


More shows like The Product Podcast

View all
This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

This Week in Startups

1,284 Listeners

a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

a16z Podcast

1,043 Listeners

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

522 Listeners

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

180 Listeners

Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

Masters of Scale

3,989 Listeners

Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

Y Combinator Startup Podcast

228 Listeners

Practical AI by Practical AI LLC

Practical AI

183 Listeners

Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

Dwarkesh Podcast

425 Listeners

Big Technology Podcast by Alex Kantrowitz

Big Technology Podcast

453 Listeners

Product Thinking by Melissa Perri

Product Thinking

142 Listeners

The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis by Nathaniel Whittemore

The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

496 Listeners

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley by BG2Pod

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

464 Listeners

AI + a16z by a16z

AI + a16z

31 Listeners

How I AI by Claire Vo

How I AI

5 Listeners

OpenAI Podcast by OpenAI

OpenAI Podcast

32 Listeners