Sharpen the Saw: How Learning Fuels Product Leadership

Trailblazing Women in Product Management with Pinky PanjwaniIn this episode, Nicole Tieche sits down with Pinky Panjwani, Director of Product Management for Striven at Miles Technologies, to talk about what it means to lead through learning. From crossing the chasm to building a team culture rooted in growth and simplicity, Pinky shares how persistence, patience, and a sharp sense for clarity have shaped her 22-year career. Ever wondered how to keep your team inspired while still chasing business outcomes? This one’s for you. Key Topics Discussed in This Episode The accidental PM journey that turned into a 22-year product career. How Pinky went from software engineer to Director of Product Management — by “doing PM work before even knowing it was called PM.”  Turning learning into a leadership advantage. Why her team schedules “Sharpen the Saw” weeks to pause delivery and focus purely on growth.  Simplifying complexity. Why true product leadership isn’t about adding more. It’s about communicating less, better. Why Listen to This Episode?This energizing convo gives you:A fresh take on product-led growth — and how to make your product sell itself. Simple frameworks for fostering trust and learning across distributed teams. Real-world tips for communicating across stakeholders without losing clarity. A mindset shift on persistence over instant gratification in product work. Proof that great PMs don’t just build products. They build patience, persistence, and people. Related Resources Check out these additional tools and resources to add to your PM belt: Productside Resource Library More Productside Stories Podcast Episodes Explore Productside Courses