The Agile Coach Podcast

In this episode of The Agile Academy Podcast, we sit down with Eden Marco, a Google Customer Engineer specializing in generative AI and large language models (LLMs). Eden shares his fascinating journey from software engineering and cybersecurity to working with cutting-edge AI technologies like Gemini.  

 

We explore how generative AI is reshaping industries by lowering barriers to entry, enabling non-technical users to create innovative solutions. Eden also dives into practical applications of LLMs, advanced prompting techniques, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and the role of vector databases.  

 

Key Takeaways:

Generative AI vs. Traditional AI: How generative models differ from classical machine learning and why they’re game-changing.

LLMs Demystified: A deep dive into how large language models work under the hood and their practical applications.

Prompt Engineering: The art of crafting effective prompts to optimize AI outputs.

RAG Systems: How retrieval-augmented generation bridges the gap between static training data and real-time information needs.

Vector Databases: Their role in indexing and retrieving relevant information for AI systems.

AI-Powered Product Management: How tools like Figma integrations and code-generation platforms are empowering product managers to prototype and build without coding skills.

Fine-Tuning Models: When fine-tuning an LLM makes sense versus leveraging advanced prompting techniques.

 

Connect with Eden Marco:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eden-marco/

 

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Eden & his background in cybersecurity and generative AI

02:00 - Generative AI vs. traditional machine learning: Key differences

05:00 - How LLMs work: Breaking down the magic behind ChatGPT and Gemini

10:00 - Practical applications of LLMs for product managers

15:00 - Advanced prompting techniques: Few-shot prompting & chain-of-thought prompting

20:00 - Understanding RAG systems and their use cases in intelligent chatbots

25:00 - Vector databases explained: How they enable efficient data retrieval for AI systems

30:00 - Fine-tuning vs. prompt engineering: When to choose each approach

35:00 - Building AI-powered products as a non-technical product manager

40:00 - The future of work with generative AI: Opportunities and challenges

In this episode of The Agile Academy Podcast, Diego Granados joins Vivek to talk honestly about what it is really like to build AI products at companies like Microsoft, LinkedIn, and Google, and why this moment in AI is such a big deal for product people. Diego shares how he went from having no technical background to leading AI products, and how that journey led him to co author The AI Product Playbook.​

Diego and Vivek dig into the fears many product managers, business analysts, and product owners have about being replaced by AI, and reframe AI as a tool that multiplies your impact rather than eliminates your role. They walk through concrete examples of how AI can supercharge analysis, strategy, and communication, and why the product managers who know how to use these tools will outpace those who ignore them.​

Key Takeaways

What AI product managers really do

Diego breaks down three paths in AI product management: AI enhanced PM, AI experience PM, and AI builder PM and what each role actually owns day to day. You learn how to think about your own career path depending on your strengths and interests.​

Will AI replace product roles

Instead of worrying about AI taking jobs, Diego shows how AI is becoming the new Excel, a tool that makes great product managers, analysts, and leaders 10 times more effective if they learn to use it. The real risk is refusing to adapt while others around you do.​

How to become an AI savvy PM

Diego shares a practical roadmap for someone starting as a business analyst, project manager, or junior PM who wants to move into AI product work without trying to make one giant leap. He explains how to stack experience, choose the right roles, and build genuine AI fluency along the way.​

Building and shipping AI features

The conversation goes deep on how AI changes the product development lifecycle, from data and guardrails to evaluation and post launch monitoring. Diego explains why working with probabilistic systems like LLMs demands a different mindset than traditional deterministic software.​

Using AI to 10x your productivity

Diego walks through how he personally uses tools like Gemini to draft strategy docs, process customer feedback, and prioritize roadmaps, and how anyone can run similar workflows with their own tools of choice. The focus is on finding the parts of your job that consume the most time and letting AI handle the heavy lifting.​

Career and learning mindset

From using AI to evaluate your resume against job descriptions to stress testing your interview answers, Diego shares ways to turn AI into a career coach. He also talks about formal education, risk taking, and why degrees can open doors but do not define your ceiling as a product manager.​

Connect With Diego

LinkedIn Diego Granados: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diegogranadosh/

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and Diego’s background in AI and product management​

03:00 - Will AI replace PMs, BAs, and product owners or make them stronger​

06:00 - Industry trends gen AI hype, guardrails, and where startups can still win​

08:00 - Why Diego wrote The AI Product Playbook and who it is really for​

12:00 - The three AI PM paths AI experience, AI builder, and AI enhanced​

17:00 - How much AI knowledge do you actually need as a PM​

20:00 - A realistic multi step path into AI product management​

21:00 - How AI changes product development from data to evaluations​

26:00 - Mindset and skills of effective AI product managers​

28:00 - Real examples of using AI to 10x productivity in PM workflows​

34:00 - Using AI to plan your growth, promotions, and job search​

37:00 - Do you really need a college degree to be a successful PM​

39:00 - Why Diego fell in love with AI product management and predicting the future​

41:00 - Final thoughts on where AI and product careers are headed​

If this episode resonated with you, share it with a fellow PM, BA, or aspiring product leader who is trying to figure out their next step in the age of AI.

In this special episode, we bring together inspiring voices from the Agile Academy alumni community. Our guests: Yari, Tyrone, Lehar, David, and Birtni, share their candid journeys into agile roles, offering practical advice, hard-earned lessons, and encouragement for anyone navigating a career transition into tech or product management.

 

Key Topics & Insights

1. The Reality of the Job Search: Persistence, Patience, and Rejection

Each guest describes a journey marked by multiple interviews, rejections, and moments of doubt, but emphasizes the importance of perseverance and self-belief.

Rejection is reframed as a learning opportunity, every interview, even unsuccessful ones, helps refine answers and builds confidence for the next round.

“You are going to get out what you put in,” Tyrone notes, highlighting the need for consistent effort and a growth mindset.

2. Leveraging Networks and Mentorship

Alumni stress the value of leaning into mentors and the Agile Academy community for support, advice, and encouragement.

Building connections, both within the cohort and externally (e.g., reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn), significantly increases the chance of landing interviews and offers.

Organizing job search efforts, using spreadsheets to track applications and recruiter contacts, helps maintain momentum and clarity.

3. Transitioning from Non-Tech Backgrounds

Several guests, including Birtni and Lehar, share how they moved from fields like teaching, healthcare, and running a bakery into agile roles, proving that a tech background isn’t a prerequisite for success.

Honesty about knowledge gaps is encouraged; being upfront in interviews about what you don’t know can build credibility and shows a willingness to learn.

4. Balancing Life, Work, and Learning

Many alumni juggled full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and the demands of the Agile Academy program.

Practical tips include maintaining routines for mental health (like exercise), staying organized, and celebrating small wins to stay motivated.

Yari and David both describe the importance of daily discipline and focusing on what’s in their control, especially during challenging personal circumstances.

5. Mindset Shifts: From Self-Doubt to Confidence

The transition to agile roles is as much about personal growth as acquiring technical skills.

Alumni describe how the program helped them articulate their strengths, recognize transferable skills, and develop the confidence to advocate for themselves in interviews.

“If somebody can, why can’t I?” Lehar reflects, capturing the spirit of resilience and self-empowerment.

6. Practical Job Search Strategies

Proactive outreach to recruiters and leveraging LinkedIn are cited as game-changers.

Alumni recommend preparing a strong list of questions for interviews and continuously updating a bank of challenging questions to practice.

Staying active in the alumni network and sharing interview experiences helps everyone prepare and improve together.

7. The Power of Community and Giving Back

Many guests express a desire to give back to the Agile Academy community, mentoring others just as they were supported.

The sense of belonging and shared struggle is a recurring theme—no one is alone on this journey.

 

Key Takeaways

Persistence Pays Off: Stay consistent, keep learning from each experience, and don’t let rejection define your journey.

Lean Into Your Network: Mentors, peers, and alumni are invaluable resources—ask for help and share knowledge.

Own Your Story: Non-traditional backgrounds are assets. Be honest about what you know and eager to learn what you don’t.

Stay Organized: Track your applications, recruiter contacts, and interview questions to maximize your job search effectiveness.

Prioritize Wellbeing: Balance the grind with activities that recharge you—mental resilience is key.

Give Back: As you progress, support others in the community. Success is sweeter when shared.

 

Timestamps

00:00 – Introductions & guest backgrounds (Yari, Tyrone, Lehar, David, Birtni)

03:00 – Navigating job offers, rejections, and building confidence (Tyrone)

08:00 – Organizing the job search and leveraging connections

12:00 – Transitioning from non-tech roles and overcoming self-doubt (Birtni, Lehar)

18:00 – Coping with layoffs, resilience, and staying positive (Birtni)

22:00 – Mindset shifts: From “I can’t” to “I did” (Lehar)

24:00 – The impact of Agile Academy’s support and resources (Yari)

27:00 – Balancing family, work, and career change (David)

32:00 – Practical job search strategies and continuous improvement

35:00 – The importance of community and giving back

Join us for a heartfelt conversation on The Agile Coach Podcast, where Pabitra sits down with Tyrone Dollison Jr, a true example of resilience and transformation. Tyrone’s story is anything but linear. 
He’s worn many hats, from working in education and finance to diving deep into analytics, and eventually making his mark as a product leader in tech. Along the way, he’s faced self-doubt, career pivots, and the challenge of breaking into a new industry without a traditional background.
In this episode, Tyrone opens up about the real struggles and wins that shaped his journey. He shares how reframing his identity, from “finance guy” to “tech professional” was a game-changer, and why knowing your own story inside out is the secret sauce for nailing interviews. 
 
What You’ll Learn:
The mindset shift that helped Tyrone see himself as a tech professional—and why that matters more than your resume
How to prepare for interviews so you can confidently talk about your experience (and not sound like a robot)
Building real connections with recruiters and why those relationships can open unexpected doors
The art of storytelling in interviews, using the STAR method, and how to share both real and hypothetical stories to show your thinking
What to do when you don’t know the answer to a question (hint: honesty and curiosity go a long way)
Why helping others in your network can come back to help you in surprising ways
How to treat interviews as a two-way street, gathering data about companies and making sure they’re the right fit for you
 
If you enjoy this episode, we’d love for you to rate, review, and share it with your friends!

In this special episode of The Agile Coach Podcast, we bring together four inspiring guests: Sid Sachdeva, Paulo Carini, Haley Prestwood, and Darian Riley, each sharing their unique path into the tech industry.  
From international students navigating visa challenges to career changers leveraging non-technical backgrounds, this episode is packed with practical advice, candid reflections, and actionable strategies for anyone aspiring to break into tech roles like Product Manager, Scrum Master, or Agile Coach.
 
Key Topics & Insights
1. Overcoming Barriers as International Students
Sid Sachdeva and Paulo Carini recount their experiences moving to the U.S. for education, facing uncertainties, and navigating the additional hurdles of visa sponsorship and limited interview opportunities.
They emphasize the importance of persistence, networking, and standing out by being resourceful and indispensable to their teams.
2. Leveraging Non-Traditional Backgrounds
Haley Prestwood and Darian Riley highlight how skills from unrelated fields, such as philosophy, politics, law, and even Division I basketball coaching, can translate into tech roles.
Both stress the value of soft skills: communication, facilitation, and leadership, which are often more critical than technical expertise for roles like Scrum Master and Product Manager.  
3. The Power of Mentorship and Community
All guests credit mentorship, peer support, and structured bootcamps (like the Agile Coach Program) as pivotal in their transitions.
Mock interviews, feedback from experienced practitioners, and ongoing community support helped them build confidence and refine their approach to job applications and interviews.
4. Mindset Shifts and Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
Haley and Sid discuss the emotional journey, moving from self-doubt and imposter syndrome to confidence and self-advocacy.
They encourage listeners to "lean into discomfort," ask questions, and recognize that growth happens outside the comfort zone.
5. Practical Job Search Strategies
The guests share actionable tactics: rigorous interview prep, building detailed Q&A documents, practicing with mentors, and making themselves available for opportunities at any time.
Paulo and Sid note the importance of being proactive, applying to many positions, and not being discouraged by rejections, especially as international candidates.
6. Transitioning and Thriving in Tech Roles
Once in their roles, guests focused on continuous learning, building relationships with team members, and seeking feedback.
Darian Riley, now a senior agile leader, describes how coaching and servant leadership skills from sports directly informed his agile practice, team empowerment, and ability to drive business value.
7. Embracing Remote Work and Flexibility
Haley and Paulo reflect on the benefits and adjustments of remote work, including the freedom to travel and the need for self-discipline and asynchronous communication.
8. The Role of AI and Continuous Upskilling
The panel discusses how AI tools are transforming learning and productivity, making it easier to upskill and adapt to new challenges in tech.
 
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Persistence Pays Off: Breaking into tech, especially as an international student or career changer, requires resilience, relentless application, and a willingness to stand out.
Soft Skills Matter: Communication, leadership, and adaptability often outweigh technical skills, especially in agile roles.
Mentorship Accelerates Growth: Seek out mentors, practice interviews, and leverage community resources.
Mindset is Everything: Overcoming self-doubt and embracing discomfort are crucial for growth.
Be Proactive and Prepared: Prepare extensively for interviews, make yourself available, and treat every opportunity as potentially life-changing.
Continuous Learning: Invest in your own growth, leverage AI tools, and never stop improving.