Ever wonder why people in your company speak in absolutes, when they’re really just guessing?

In this episode, Todd and Ryan tackle one of product management’s sneakiest challenges: assumptions dressed up as facts. You’ll learn how to spot them, test them, and decide which ones are worth your time. They also share practical tips for how to push back on overconfidence without becoming the office buzzkill. You’ll get tools like hypothesis framing, assumption matrices, and yes, even a visual analogy of TAM, SAM, and SOM eating pie.

You might think you're just making decisions, but you're probably making bets. This episode will show you the risks you've been taking all along, without even realizing it.

Introduction and Setting the Scene
[00:00] Assumptions wearing fact hats – Todd and Ryan set the stage with a playful analogy.
[00:29] Product Porch welcome – Framing today’s conversation: assumptions masquerading as facts.

The Problem with Assumptions
[01:00] “We know this will work” – Why confidence often masks uncertainty.
[02:00] Overt vs. quiet assumptions – Recognizing when assumptions go unspoken.

Identifying and Validating Assumptions
[03:40] PMs as assumption spotters – The product role in unmasking untested ideas.
[04:30] Responsibility and risk – Why recognizing assumptions matters for product outcomes.

Assumptions vs. Hypotheses and Bets
[06:00] Hypothesis ≠ assumption – Breaking down the difference.
[07:30] Fancy words, same risks – How “belief,” “bets,” and “hypotheses” disguise uncertainty.
[14:50] Assumption = risk – Why framing decisions as bets clarifies the stakes.

Practical Approach to Assumptions
[18:30] Todd’s process – From “what we know” to testable hypotheses.
[20:30] Not everything is testable – What to do when data isn’t available.
[21:45] Breaking down baby hypotheses – Getting from big bets to testable ideas.

Spotting Assumptions in Practice
[22:30] Game time – Todd challenges Ryan to find hidden assumptions in a business pitch.
[24:00] 8+ assumptions in one paragraph – How fast we stack untested beliefs.
[30:30] Critical thinking tips – What to listen for and how to respond.

Conclusion and Takeaways
[38:00] Big takeaway: assumptions that can’t be undone are the most dangerous.
[40:00] “Assumption pill” – Seeing the hidden code behind product decisions.
[41:00] Assumption spotter, prioritizer, tester – A new PM identity.

Closing Remarks
[41:45] Sign-off – Todd and Ryan wrap up the episode with appreciation and a reminder to subscribe.

Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

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Why is it so hard for product and sales to get along?

In this episode, Todd Blaquiere and Ryan Cantwell dig into one of the most persistent pain points in product management: why the product-sales relationship so often breaks down, and what we can do to fix it. Using role-play, real stories, and a few uncomfortable truths, they unpack how deal fit and product-market fit pull in different directions. Then they explore how to navigate those tensions without becoming the "chief no officer."

You’ll walk away with practical ways to respond to sales requests, build trust without bending to every feature ask, and become the kind of product partner sales actually wants in the room.

If you're tired of awkward relationships with sales, urgent "add it to the roadmap" requests, and never-ending feature tug-of-wars, pull up a chair on the porch. We’ve got ideas to calm the chaos, win more deals, and stop the swirl.

Introduction and Setting the Stage
[00:00] Fighting Like Siblings - Todd compares product and sales to his kids: always fighting, but capable of harmony.
[02:45] Shared Goals, Different Worlds - The hosts introduce the recurring tensions between product and sales.

The Product and Sales Relationship
[06:10] Deal Fit vs. Market Fit - Sales chases deals; product chases strategy. It’s no wonder they clash.
[08:30] Competing Priorities - Why product sees the long game and sales lives quarter-to-quarter.

Common Frustrations and Misunderstandings
[12:00] The Feature Firehose - Sales promises features that don’t exist. Product becomes the “no” team.
[14:50] Roadmap Roulette - When shifting priorities make it feel like there is no real plan.

Empathy and Understanding
[19:30] Listen First, Then Build - How PMs can use empathy to cut through confusion.
[21:15] What Sales Really Needs - Beyond features, it’s about confidence and clarity.

Benefits of Collaboration
[24:40] Sit in on Sales Calls - The quickest way to understand customers—and build better products.
[27:10] Stronger Together - Real examples of when sales and product clicked.

Effective Communication and Documentation
[30:15] Tell Them What’s Coming - The value of visibility into roadmaps and release notes.
[33:00] Docs That Actually Help - Tips on making product info sales-friendly.

Building Trust and Reducing Assumptions
[36:20] Stop the Swirl - Why clarity, transparency, and shared wins build trust.
[39:00] The Relationship That Matters - Final thoughts on how to make product-sales work long term.

Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com

Ever feel like you're following frameworks, but still not sure if you're actually doing product management?

In this episode, Todd Blaquiere, Joe Ghali, and Ryan Cantwell lay out their personal tier lists to define what makes product management real. They debate which principles are fundamental laws - those you can’t break without breaking product - and which are just flexible preferences shaped by context.

From "outcomes over outputs" to stakeholder management, the conversation challenges conventional wisdom and surfaces surprising disagreements. It’s a candid look at what separates core product truths from passing trends.

If you’ve ever struggled to know which product advice is worth following and which ones you can safely ignore, pull up a chair for this episode of the Product Porch.

Introduction and Podcast Overview
[00:00] Internal products – Is product market fit always required?

The Product Management Tier List
[00:35] Tier list concept – Sorting laws, principles, and practices

Ryan's Tier List
[02:25] The cone tip – Defining non-negotiables
[04:00] Best practices – Flexible tools and methods
[05:30] Trends – Temporary tactics and ceremonies

Joe’s Tier List
[06:03] Product concert – Priorities in customer value and impact
[07:00] JTBD – Why it’s core for Joe
[08:00] Measuring success – Linking problems to business results

Todd’s Tier List
[08:22] Spinning top – Laws, principles, practices, style
[09:30] Product law – Break these, break the product
[10:28] Practices vs. principles – What’s flexible vs. fixed

Debating Product Laws
[11:00] “You are not the user” – Universal agreement
[12:00] Outcomes over outputs – A debated essential
[15:04] Team sport – When product requires collaboration

Product Principles
[17:56] Saying no – Strategy and focus
[20:00] Agile mindset – Beyond the process
[22:30] Working with vendors – Can you still do product?

Product Practices & Styles
[24:38] Roadmaps, personas, roles – What shifts by org
[26:00] Stakeholder management – Style or standard?
[28:00] JTBD – Tool or foundational belief?

Trends & Tools
[34:36] Tools & templates – What doesn’t define product
[36:00] Product market fit – Still relevant for internal teams?
[38:00] Positioning – Practice, not principle
[39:09] Product-led growth – Trend or truth?

Takeaways & Close
[39:28] Define your own tiers – What matters to you?
[41:00] Training ≠ truth – Not all practices are essential
[42:00] Share your tier list – Hosts want to hear from you

Help keep the Product Porch lights on by giving at Patreon.com/TheProductPorch.

Join our email list and never miss an episode at theproductporch.com