Diving into the AI and product management scene wasn’t just about sharing my knowledge (bc really, I had none - I'm neither a product manager, nor an AI engineer); it was about creating a space where I could learn and convey my newly won knowledge to other semi-technical professionals in a way that would add value. My job wasn't just to create content but to create an active community…

Launch

With Future of Product, that’s exactly what happened. Starting with a newsletter, I leaned into what I knew best: dissecting complex topics and presenting them in an engaging way. The visual brand came next. I wanted to incorporate my love of old sci-fi aesthetics into the brand, and they paired wonderfully with the crystal ball icon, conceptualized and created by Rebecca Milazzo.

It wasn’t long before the response to the newsletter made it clear I needed to do more.

Validation

The newsletter was just the beginning. Seeing the enthusiasm, a podcast was the natural next step. None of the typical tech bro BS—just straight talk between a relatively (*very*) uninformed host and experts on the cutting edge of AI research and business. I quickly gained a solid listener base, but it’s the feedback I received from real people that really made me feel that I was heading in the right direction.

The Podcast

With the newsletter’s success as my foundation, expanding into a podcast felt like a natural progression. The aim was to deepen the dialogue, bringing in voices from across industry, research and the hacking world to share their insights and stories. Over 27 episodes, we amassed more than 20,000 listeners on Substack alone with many more across platforms—a testament to the content’s relevance and the audience's engagement.

Below - just a few of the 27 incredible guests I had the opportunity to interview in my time running Future of Product.

In case you haven't noticed, a lot of people are talking about AI nowadays… like, a lot. So, although I started Future of Product before AI was on the tip of everybody's tongues, by the time I kicked off the podcast, there were dozens of legitimate competitors and garden-variety imitators popping up daily.

To amplify the Future of Product podcast and let people know I wasn't just another person saying "AI is cool" for 60 minutes per episode, I dove into creating bespoke, high-quality video content.

Tailored specifically for social media consumption, these pieces were designed in vertical format to capture attention in the flow of scrolling feeds. Each video served not just as a promotion but as a standalone piece of engaging content, offering viewers a taste of the podcast’s depth and dynamism. This strategic approach not only highlighted key moments from the episodes but also reinforced our commitment to delivering content that resonates, educates, and entertains. The result was a visual extension of the brand, drawing more listeners into the growing Future of Product community with every view.

Click below to view my Future of Product video portfolio:

Partners

No community grows in isolation. The partnerships I built, especially the exclusive collaboration with ProductCamp Atlanta, were pivotal. They extended the reach of the podcast, brought in new perspectives, and underscored the community aspect of Future of Product. Through this partnership, I was able to do my first live podcast and quickly acquired a love for making man-on-the-street style content.

Email

The heart of the community's direct engagement was always the newsletter. Growing to over 1,500 active subscribers organically, it was my pulse on the most engaged portion of the community's interests and needs. Each email was a touchpoint, an opportunity to further the conversation and solidify the relationship.

Lead Generation

Since this endeavor was ultimately in service of my employer's business goals, the ultimate measure of my efforts came in the form of lead generation. Across six months, Future of Product drew 31,946 unique readers on Substack, turning over 1,000 of them into qualified product manager leads. To me, Future of Product wasn’t really about numbers; it was about learning, meeting people that I'd otherwise never be in a room with and building a community of people that actually got some value out of what I was doing. A number is of no value, but someone who actually wants to hear from you is. And to that end, Future of Product was an even bigger success than I could have imagined.

As Future of Product grew, it shifted from a simple idea to a lively community full of engaged listeners and readers. Behind it all, I was blending creative vision with practical strategy, pushing this project beyond what I thought possible—not just as its creator, but as someone deeply committed to bringing real value to our audience. All in all, I had an absolute blast.

There's a lot more that I accomplished in my time running Future of Product. If you're interested in learning more, please don't hesitate to reach out to me via email at max@astronautcreative.com - or simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page!