The ProdCats Podcast Series is designed to connect students with the exciting world of product management through engaging conversations with industry leaders. The series aims to provide a platform for learning, inspiration, and growth, empowering students to navigate and excel in the dynamic field of product management. Stay tuned for more episodes as we continue to bring valuable content and expertise to the ProdCats community!
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Past Events
Past Events
A Milestone First Live Event!
A Milestone First Live Event!
We were proud to host our club’s first-ever live event — an inspiring evening filled with ideas, energy, and pizza. Featured speakers Alex Hurtado and Caralanay Cameron delivered powerful talks on product marketing, artificial intelligence, and innovation. Their insights challenged attendees to think boldly about bridging technology with market needs, emphasizing the value of structured collaboration and entrepreneurial mindset.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsor, ThinkChicago by World Business Chicago, whose generous support made this milestone possible. Their partnership helped us connect our community to the pulse of Chicago’s thriving tech and innovation ecosystem.
This is just the beginning — stay tuned for what’s next!
Alex Hurtado on Strategic Product Marketing & Clear Positioning
Alex Hurtado on Strategic Product Marketing & Clear Positioning
Alex Hurtado, Director of Product Marketing at Anvilogic, delivered a compelling talk on the power of structured collaboration between product and marketing teams. She emphasized that consistent alignment and data-driven decision-making are essential to building and scaling successful products.
Alex introduced the "30-Second Rule," a powerful reminder that a product’s value should be instantly clear to its audience. She also stressed the importance of defining an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) early on to focus efforts and avoid wasted resources. For those looking to sharpen their positioning skills, she recommended standout resources like Obviously Awesome by April Dunford and the 30-Second Homepage Rule by Fletch PMM.
Caralanay Cameron on AI, Product Leadership & Innovation
Caralanay Cameron on AI, Product Leadership & Innovation
Caralanay Cameron, an accomplished product leader and AI enthusiast, shared how artificial intelligence is transforming the product management landscape — from early-stage ideation to scaling breakthrough solutions. Drawing from her entrepreneurial journey and MBA background, she offered thoughtful perspectives on the pivotal role product management plays in startup success.
Caralanay emphasized the need to bridge cutting-edge technology with real market needs, highlighting continuous learning, adaptability, and an entrepreneurial mindset as key drivers of lasting career growth in today’s fast-evolving tech world.
James Pickering on Career Growth, Power of Product Marketing
James Pickering on Career Growth, Power of Product Marketing
We had an engaging podcast with James Pickering, Senior Manager of Product Marketing at Abbott, a global leader in healthcare. With over 15 years of experience across industries from HR tech to diagnostics, James shared valuable insights into marketing, product management, and more. A Boston native who now lives in Chicagoland, he holds a BS in Marketing and an MBA. Outside of work, James enjoys traveling, live shows, movies, exercise, and discovering new restaurants. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn from his impressive career journey!
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