We often hear about the role of “Chief of Staff”. It’s present in many different industries - Tech, Government, Healthcare, Retail, but the role is perhaps not as well understood. In this edition, we connect with Luke Leonhard, Chief of Staff on the Speech team at Google, and learn about what this role entails.

You can also read the discussion on our website: https://www.learneducatediscover.com/chief-of-staff-in-tech

We have added two new resources to the LED website, for those who are interested in Product Management in Tech and are preparing for interviews:

1. Interview Guide for PM interviews: https://www.learneducatediscover.com/product-page/framework-and-resources-for-preparing-for-pm-interviews 

2. Question bank for preparing for behavioral questions for PM interviews: https://www.learneducatediscover.com/product-page/behavioral-questions-bank-for-product-manager-interviews-30-questions

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Website www.learneducatediscover.com/

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Ep 122: Career as Chief of Staff in Tech - Discussion with Luke Leonhard, Chief of Staff @Google

There are two guitars, 1 lead vox + 2 back up vox and a tabla player.
I do the guitar and back up vox here. Mainly rhythm and a little bass line in rolling in the deep.
The Band: 
http://www.reverbnation.com/intothewynd
https://www.facebook.com/Into-The-Wynd-177977202287480/

say my name/o hum dum/rolling in the deep

Messaging app WeChat tells us a lot about mobile and business in China. In a recent deep-dive primer on the WeChat phenomenon, a16z partner Connie Chan analyzed WeChat and the notion of app-within-apps, payments as a gateway drug, platforms vs portals, and what happens when utility is more important than being "social". Wired senior writer David Pierce also describes the power of conversational messaging as the main interface, further arguing that “A great messaging app could be to the web browser what the browser was to the internet before it.”

So what happens when a messaging app essentially becomes an operating system for our lives? What conditions made the mobile, business, and cultural environment in China so ripe for a phenomenon like WeChat? How does voice change everything? And, let's face it, what are the tradeoffs users (both consumer and business) as well as developers may have to make when one app does in fact rule an entire ecosystem? Connie and David discuss on this episode of the a16z Podcast. Plus what happens to loneliness, work-life balance, and more.

a16z Podcast: Messaging As the Interface to Everything

In this 2 mins snippet from our 1st episode, Vishal Srivastav, Product Marketing Manager with Microsoft, shares three key qualities of a great Product Marketing Manager.

Ep 1: 2 mins snippet - What makes a great Product Marketing Manager, Vishal Srivastav, Microsoft

Arzan Raimalwala, Technology Investment Banking Associate at Deutsche Bank, takes us into the world of Investment Banking and what working as an Investment Banker is all about.

Some of the areas we touch upon in this episode include:
1. What is Investment Banking
2. Overview of Finance Industry and where Investment Banking comes in
3. Day in the life of an Investment Banker
4. Example of a project that an Investment Banker may work on
5. Interesting and challenging aspects of working in this space
6. What kind of person would enjoy working in this space
7. Tips for interested candidates

Thank you for listening!!

Follow the show on Twitter @LED_Curator
Like us on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/learneducatediscover/
Email us at learneducatediscover@gmail.com. We will reply!! 
Subscribe to the show on iTunes itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/learn…ver/id1049159321
Blog: bit.ly/1R1nTDk

iTunes

Ep 29: Investment Banking, Arzan Raimalwala, Deutsche Bank

The Scroll Marked II (The Greatest Salesman in the World, by OG Mandino)

Leah Burnett, Former Senior Director for Strategy & Planning @Viacom, shares her thoughts on what's involved in working in a Strategy function at a large company. Prior to Viacom, Leah has worked in consulting at BCG and Finance at UBS and Citigroup.

Leah has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and MBA from The Wharton School.

Some of the areas that Leah touches upon in this episode include:
1. Why Leah moved from finance to consulting to strategy
2. Examples of projects you might work in a Strategy team
3. Stages in a typical Strategy project
4. Sample team scructures
5. What to look for in a Strategy team
6. Interesting and Challenging aspects of the job
7. What Leah does not like as much about working in strategy
8. Skills needed to do well in Strategy
9. Typical background found in strategy teams
10. Recommended resources

Thank you for listening!!

Follow the show on Twitter @LED_Curator
Website www.learneducatediscover.com/
Like us on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/learneducatediscover/
Email us at hello@learneducatediscover. We will reply!! 
Subscribe to the show on iTunes itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/learn…ver/id1049159321

Learn Educate Discover

Ep 110: Strategy & Planning, Leah Burnett, Former Senior Director Strategy @Viacom

Nkem Nwankwo, Senior Product Manager at BetterCloud, describes what he does to excel as a Product Manager. Nkem has over 5 years of experience as a PM. His educational background consists of a B.S. in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and MBA from Ross School of Business.

Some of the areas that Nkem touches upon include:
1. What Nkem focuses on - Ruthless prioritization, Time Management, Stakeholder management, Personal management
2. For prioritization, Nkem uses a whiteboard that forces him to focus on only the most important items each day
3. How he comes to office 3 hours before everyone else to get work done
4. How he does not go for meetings unless explicitly asked to
5. How having an understanding of the informal networks in your organization can really help get things done - since a lot of this job requires influencing people
6. Communication - bad news should flow faster in an organization than good news
7. Staying up to date with the industry and exposing himself to new ideas through reading and listening to podcasts
8. Mistakes Nkem sees business school candidates make when recruiting for PM roles
9. How you can add value in a variety of ways as a PM - being technical is not necessary. Eg: You can excel at communication and a thorough understanding of the user.

Thank you for listening!!

Follow the show on Twitter @LED_Curator
Website www.learneducatediscover.com/
Like us on FaceBook at www.facebook.com/learneducatediscover/
Email us at hello@learneducatediscover. We will reply!! 
Subscribe to the show on iTunes itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/learn…ver/id1049159321

Ep 113: What I Do To Excel As A Product Manager, Nkem Nwankwo, Senior PM @BetterCloud

On this podcast, we interview people from different professions and gain an in-depth understanding of their job. Learn about different careers, from management consulting to mountain climbing - what each is all about and how to get in if you wanted to. 

If you want us to cover any company, role, or answer any additional questions, email us at hello@learneducatediscover.com. Additional resources on our website at www.learneducatediscover.com. Follow the show on Twitter  @LED_Curator