Product manager, entrepreneur, and author Ali Rakhimov joins Laurier Mandin to talk about how better communication can make even the most ambitious products take flight. From building payment kiosks for K–12 schools to leading multimillion-dollar initiatives at Macy’s, Ali shares how simplicity, idioms, and “stupid” questions can cut through complexity and bring teams together. 

This conversation dives into how to keep innovation alive, avoid “boiling the ocean,” and use AI as a force for clarity, not chaos.

Episode Highlights:

• 00:02:00 — From the classroom to product leadership: How Ali’s early years in K–12 shaped his management style.
• 00:04:40 — Building, failing, and pivoting: The scrappy road trip that led to a startup exit.
• 00:06:30 — The power of idioms: Why metaphors like “Elephant in the Room” and “Boil the Ocean” make teams communicate better.
• 00:09:00 — Asking the “stupid” question: Turning imposter syndrome into clarity.
• 00:12:10 — Focus vs. shiny-penny syndrome: How to simplify and ship without killing ambition.
• 00:16:00 — AI hype and reality: What teams get wrong—and how culture determines success.
• 00:21:00 — Learning curve to lifelong learning: From calculators to ChatGPT, adapting to new tools.
• 00:27:40 — Making pigs fly: How Ali proved the impossible possible in K–12 fintech.

Links:
Find out more about Ali Rakhimov and buy "When Pigs Fly": Ali.ink
Subscribe to Laurier Mandin's daily emails and buy "I Need That": LMandin.com
Learn about Graphos Product, read the blog and get all podcasts with transcripts: GraphosProduct.com