Becoming The Product

Hosted by Naya

Business Careers

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Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

Becoming the Product is an APVA-nominated podcast on work, reinvention, purpose, and building a meaningful life. Hosted by Naya Isichei, the show began as a diary documenting her leap from banking into tech. As her journey has expanded across product, incubation, and entrepreneurship, so has the show. Through honest reflections, Naya blends career, innovation, and systems thinking with faith, motherhood, rest, and stewardship. It isn’t about having it all figured out, it’s about paying attention to what our experiences teach us. Season 4: The Product Is Bigger Than the Career.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 22, 2026Episode 114 min

Personal Branding Is About Becoming Understood, Not Becoming Famous

For a long time, Naya thought personal branding was only for influencers who wanted thousands of followers and daily photoshoot content. But navigating a non-linear career across banking, operations, product management, startup incubation, and founding GigSecure made her realize something deeper: whether you deliberately build a brand or not, people are forming an idea of who you are. In this episode, Naya unpacks why personal branding isn't about becoming famous it's about becoming understood. She explores why good work doesn't always speak for itself, how documenting process creates evidence, and how to make your true professional capital visible without performing expertise or posting constantly.

October 15, 2026Episode 713 min

Your Experience Is an Asset: Mine the Data You Already Have

Looking back at her non-linear path from studying psychology and completing a master’s in France to seven years in corporate banking, a sudden layoff at an international fintech, product management, startup incubation, and founding GigSecure , Naya reflects on how experience compounds in ways we rarely predict. In this episode, she explores why changing careers doesn't mean erasing your past or starting from zero, how to recognize the hidden intelligence in messy experiences, and what it actually means to mine the data of your own life. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share your key takeaway.

October 8, 2026Episode 613 min

The Gap Between an Idea and Building Something That Works

I’ve realized something about myself: I love ideas. I can easily open Notion and map out a full plan for something that didn't exist 30 minutes ago. But working with startup founders at NITHUB while building my own product, GigSecure, has shown me that the gap between having an idea and building something that works is much bigger than I thought. In this episode, I explore why compliments from friends aren't validation, why smaller experiments beat massive product launches, and how slowing down to understand regulatory realities is still real progress. Tune in for a grounded conversation on moving past the high of a new plan to discover what is actually true in the real world.

October 1, 2026Episode 517 min

Less Interested in Looking Like a Startup, More Interested in Building a Business

In this episode, Naya opens up about her journey building GigSecure, from winning pitch competitions and receiving the Tony Elumelu Foundation grant to facing the humbling realities of regulated industries and distribution. She shares why recognition can create a false sense of progress and why she has become much less interested in looking like a founder and far more focused on building an actual business. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on changing your mind, balancing a full-time job and family with a startup, and letting real evidence guide what you build.

September 24, 2026Episode 117 min

7 Things Working with Startups Taught Me About Building

Working in startup incubation at NITHUB while building her own product, GigSecure, has changed how Naya views entrepreneurship. In this episode, she reflects on why she’s much less impressed by clean ideas than she used to be and shares seven practical observations about what execution actually looks like. From regulatory reality checks to the temptation of hiding behind a great pitch deck, Naya explores what happens when your plans meet the real world, and why building is ultimately an ongoing conversation with reality. Tune in and reflect on what feedback your own projects might be giving you.

September 17, 2026Episode 318 min

What Every Chapter of Your Career Gives You

When we step through a career transition, we usually focus on what we're leaving behind or where we want to land next. We rarely pause to ask: what did this season actually give me? In this episode, Naya looks back across her non-linear chapters from banking and remote operations to product management, growth, startup incubation, and founding GigSecure. She explores why no chapter is wasted, how unexpected detours expand your range, and why reinvention doesn't mean starting your capabilities from zero. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share your key takeaway.

September 10, 2026Episode 215 min

Changing Your Career vs. Changing Your Operating System

For a long time, Naya thought she needed a new career whenever she felt stuck or unfulfilled. But moving from banking to remote operations, product management, growth, and startup incubation revealed a deeper lesson: changing your job title doesn't automatically change how you operate. In this episode, Naya explores the difference between changing your career and changing your operating system, how to view your past experiences as data, and why building systems around your values is what actually creates room to live. Join the conversation and reflect on what kind of life you want your work to support.

September 3, 2026Episode 117 min

The Product Is Bigger Than the Career

What if your career isn't the ultimate destination, but simply the sandbox where your true self is developed? After a multi-month break, Naya returns to unpack why fitting into a single professional title is a trap and how mining your past experiences across banking, remote operations, and startup incubation reveals your real core identity. Tune in to redefine success beyond your job title and learn how to align high ambition with rest, faith, and intentional stewardship. Listen now on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and share your key takeaway.

November 10, 2025Episode 206 min

You Are the Product: A New Kind of Résumé

Not every résumé fits on paper. In this reflective episode, Naya explores how proof, process, and storytelling form the foundation of your modern résumé one that evolves with every lesson, pivot, and product you build. Because in the end, you are the product. Timestamps 00:00 – 00:30 — Introduction: “You are the product.” 00:30 – 01:00 — The story of being laid off and discovering the power of documentation. 01:00 – 02:00 — Point 1: Your proof is your portfolio. 02:00 – 02:30 — Point 2: Your process is your brand. 02:30 – 03:30 — Point 3: Your story is your strategy. 03:30 – 05:00 — Product thinking as iteration, not restarting. 05:00 – End — Closing reflections + call to action to audit your proof. Key Takeaways Your résumé isn’t a document; it’s your proof in motion. Proof builds trust faster than credentials. Your process — how you communicate, plan, and execute — is your real brand. Storytelling helps you connect your past to your next pivot. You’re not behind; you’re just iterating. Key Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Smart PM Career Roadmap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build Without Permission – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Side Hustle Stories – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proof & Practice Bundle Subscribe to the newsletter DM me on LinkedIn about PMaaS

November 5, 2025Episode 197 min

Is It Too Late to Pivot? (No.)

This week, Naya shares her story of pivoting from banking to tech, and the three truths that helped her rebuild with clarity. If you’ve ever wondered if it’s too late to start again, this one’s for you. Spoiler: It’s not. You’re not behind, you’re just iterating. Timestamps: 0:00 – 1:00 — Intro: What inspired this episode and the myth of “too late.” 1:00 – 1:30 — My layoff story: From banking to blank slate. 1:30 – 2:30 — Discovering tech and realizing I’d been doing “product thinking” all along. 2:30 – 4:30 — Three truths about pivoting: redeeming your past, choosing curiosity, and building clarity through action. 4:30 – 6:00 — Encouragement for anyone feeling behind. 6:00 – End — Call to action and community invites. Key Takeaways: Your past experience is data , not detour. Curiosity can be a valid reason to change direction. Start small; clarity comes from doing. You’re not late. You’re iterating. Key Links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Smart PM Career Roadmap⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Build Without Permission – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Side Hustle Stories – Mini Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Proof & Practice Bundle Subscribe to the newsletter DM me on LinkedIn about PMaaS