Candid Conversations with Founders, CEOs, and Experts on Tech, Business, and Everything in Between.
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August 8, 2025Episode 7748 min
#77: Scaling Growth Like an Operating System with Olena Derebera
Olena Derebera, a Kyiv-based product manager at the intersection of systems, growth, and strategy, shares how she’s helped build the acquisition infrastructure for Jooble — one of the world’s largest job aggregators.We break down what it takes to scale systems that process billions of clicks, why retention is the real growth multiplier, and how to treat strategy like an operating system for product and business expansion.
July 22, 2025Episode 761 hr 4 min
#76: AI vs. Security: The Unfiltered Reality with Saahil Sheenoy
I sit down with Saahil Shenoy, Founding AI Scientist at Bedrock Security (backed by Greylock), to talk about the collision course between AI and security. We go deep on the rise of AI-powered attacks, how defenders are playing catch-up, and the broken promises of “enterprise-grade” AI tools. Saahil shares what he’s seeing on the frontlines—from AI agents leaking sensitive company data to how deepfakes are already being used to manipulate identity and trust at scale. We also rant about the myth of “10x” and whether five smart builders can take down bloated data infra giants using nothing but AI and grit.
July 9, 2025Episode 7554 min
#75: Ex-Coinbase on Navigating the Tech Job Market with Brian Pulliam
In this conversation, Brian Pulliam shares his extensive experience in the tech industry, spanning over 26 years, and discusses his transition to career coaching. He emphasizes the challenges new graduates face in the current job market, particularly due to the impact of AI and economic factors. Brian highlights the importance of networking, building in public, and understanding mentorship dynamics. He also discusses the cyclical nature of the tech job market, advising job seekers to be creative and persistent in their efforts to stand out. The conversation concludes with key takeaways for new graduates and insights into the future of tech roles.
June 18, 2025Episode 7451 min
#74: Developer Experience, FinTech, and Leading Remote Teams with Maryna Rybalko
I sit down with Maryna Rybalko, Product Manager at Paydock, to talk about building scalable B2B and B2B2C products across 69 countries. With 7+ years in FinTech and HRTech, Maryna shares how she leads global remote teams, simplifies developer experience through unified APIs and SDKs, and balances complexity with execution speed. From scaling payment infrastructure to managing high-performing teams across time zones, this conversation is packed with tactical insights for product builders operating at scale.We talk about:The reality of scaling API-first platformsWhat makes a great developer experienceManaging 70+ remote teammates across culturesBuilding for both B2B and B2B2C at onceWhat it takes to lead in FinTech and HRTech today
June 10, 2025Episode 7348 min
#73: Product Management in the Age of AI
In this conversation, Anastasia Mudryk joins me to break down what it really takes to build and grow an AI-native startup—without getting lost in the noise. From early traction strategies to why distribution is often more important than product, they dive into lessons most founders learn too late. Anastasiya also shares hard-won insights on launching across different markets, building intuition-driven products, and operating with clarity in a world obsessed with hype.The discussion also touches on the significance of branding and the need for companies to adapt to remain competitive.
June 4, 2025Episode 7257 min
#72: The Neurophysiology of Entrepreneurship with Marina Morgan
In this episode, Marina Morgan joins Imran Sheikh to break down the entrepreneurial mindset—through the lens of neuroscience. From dopamine and motivation to sleep, nutrition, and neuroplasticity, they explore how our nervous system shapes how we build, lead, and adapt. Whether you’re a founder or operator, this conversation connects the dots between biology, mental health, and business performance—with zero fluff.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Mindset05:50 Understanding Neuro Entrepreneurship10:02 Neuroplasticity and Its Impact on Learning15:42 The Role of Sleep in Neuroplasticity20:20 Nutrition and Its Importance for Entrepreneurs25:10 Dopamine and the Entrepreneurial Experience30:19 Balancing Inspiration and Reality34:09 Empathy vs. Cognitive Speed in Entrepreneurship36:02 Understanding Dopamine and Nervous System Dynamics39:48 The Entrepreneurial Brain: Connections and Opportunities42:34 Physiology and Mental Health in the Workplace46:33 Creating a Supportive Work Environment52:37 Navigating Organizational Change01:05:52 Embracing Individual Differences in the Workplace
May 20, 2025Episode 7059 min
#70: Mental Fitness for Founders: How Neuroscience and AI Are Shaping Leadership
In this uncut episode of Imran’s Podcast, I sit down with Marina Morgan—founder, business psychologist, and executive coach in Silicon Valley—to explore the real shifts happening in leadership, mental health, and the future of work.We dive into:Why mental health is the backbone of founder successHow AI isn’t replacing leadership—but reshaping itBuilding businesses in a weekend vs. the old playbookWhat makes entrepreneurs psychologically different (backed by neuroscience)The role of play, curiosity, and personalization in leading teams through changeWe also unpack Marina’s cutting-edge “AIQ” framework for measuring team readiness for AI adoption—and why emotional experience with AI will soon define how companies scale.If you’re a founder, leader, or just curious about how the brain, business, and AI intersect—this one’s for you.
May 13, 2025Episode 691 hr 0 min
#69: The Modern Marketing Playbook: Growth, AI, and What’s Next.
In this episode of Imran’s Podcast, I sit down with Kevin Bell, a veteran performance marketer who’s helped scale growth for companies like Ethos, Spin, and now Mochi Health. We break down what’s really happening across adtech, martech, and the fast-evolving world of digital growth.Kevin shares:How iOS 14.5 rewired performance marketing—and what winning teams did to adaptWhy CDPs and first-party data integrations are now essential for scalingHow Facebook rebuilt its algorithm and what it means for creators and startupsThe rise (and possible fall) of TikTok—and what platforms are next in lineHot takes on LinkedIn, Instagram, and why most teams still get creative formats wrongWhat AI-generated video and automation means for the future of adsWhether you’re a founder, growth lead, or curious about how marketing is actually changing—this is the episode you’ve been waiting for
May 6, 2025Episode 6856 min
#68: Next Evolution of Product Design Leadership with Anjali Desai
In this episode of Imran's Podcast, Anjali Desai, a leader in design and AI with decades of experience across Intuit, PayPal, Dell, SAP, and more, and I have a sit-down. We go deep into how tech, design, and human-centered thinking are reshaping the work of tomorrow.Anjali offers understanding on:• Why the roles of product designers and product managers are merging — and what skills will be essential.• In what way is AI both speeding up the opportunity and responsibility for builders?• The actual distinguishing factors in an AI-first world are critical thinking, craftsmanship, and empathy. These are not only our best attributes but also the attributes that AI will never have.• The significance of "zero UI" design and what it entails. • How "zero UI" design is set to revolutionize our digital encounters and redefine them as fluid and natural, without any visible signs of an interface. • The drawbacks of even the most advanced current interfaces, which still employ some form of visual component to convey information. • The way that "zero UI" will help to streamline our interactions with the devices we use in every aspect of our lives.• Pragmatic counsel for fresh graduates and seasoned designers alike on how to distinguish themselves and maintain relevanceMastering tomorrow is a helter-skelter process of trying to seize and make sense of today’s many unfolding narratives. This conversation is a masterclass in some of the future directions these narratives are likely to take.
April 29, 2025Episode 671 hr 5 min
#67: Why The Next Wave of Builders Will Master Design, Depth, and Real-World Execution with Anurag Duddu
In this episode of Imran's Podcast, Anurag Duddu and I go deep into how tech, design, and AI are remaking the way we work, build, and learn. We get real about why true learning requires unlearning past patterns; why AI really is about a compression of roles; and why, in a world of AI, design-led thinking is more crucial than ever.Anurag shares his journey of construction, tracing back to design school, and disappointing the clear, bright line drawn between technology and humanity. We also sweat the hot stuff, like:• The reason why real specialization will become premium in an AI-driven world.• Traditional product management is dying as roles compress.• The evolution of designers into strategic builders and product owners is necessary.• The concealed risks of depending excessively on ready-made AI tools.• Why the future is the domain of builders who not only construct with speed but also infuse depth into their creations.This conversation will hit home if you care about maintaining your lead in technology, developing genuine skills, and grasping the next steps in design and AI as they relate to our world.
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