Produck Podcast
Episodes
STFD: The Founder Mantra Helen Iwata Swears By (And Why You Need It Too)
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
She was managing three departments at McKinsey, saying yes to everything, and one night she sat down to journal — and wrote, through tears, "I ...
She Built 4 Startups — and Auctioned Her Way to a Global Empire From Japan - Monika Jain
17 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if the secret to selling your most precious jewelry wasn't a pawn shop — but a globally curated auction where top experts from Hong Kong, D...
Why Your Bank App Makes You Anxious (And How to Fix It) — Phat Nguyen
10 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What if the internet went completely dark during an earthquake — no cell towers, no Wi-Fi — and your phone could still save your life? That's ...
Playing with Fire: Navigating the Ethics and Safety of AI - Asuka Kondo
03 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, host Lee Jean sits down with Asuka Kondo, a former venture capitalist and consultant turned AI ethics research...
The L.E.A.D. Revolution: Empowering Japan’s Next Generation - Sasha Lee Seals
27 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we sit down with Sasha Lee Seals, the co-founder of Nagarayama Lead, to discuss how she is cultivating the next generation of innovat...
Robots, Rights, and the Road to AGI: Navigating Japan’s Startup Pulse - Alejo Cain
20 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, host Lee Jean sits down with Alejo Cain, the founder of Snappy Compliance, to explore the intersection of robo...
From Telecaller to Tech CEO: The OneInbox Story - Abhishek Gupta
13 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to the Produck Podcast! In this episode, host Lee Jean sits down with Abhishek Gupta, the founder and CEO of OneInbox AI. Abhishek shares...
How an Introverted Gamer Became the Community Lead at Google for Startups in Tokyo - Sunshine Burri
06 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this milestone 50th episode of the Product Podcast, host Lee Jean sits down with Sunshine Burry, the Community Manager and Coordinator for Google f...
Stop Studying, Start Learning: Breaking the Perfectionism Barrier - Mana Yamashita
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do so many Japanese learners spend years "studying" English but still struggle to speak with confidence? In this episode of the ProDuck ...
Stop Building Bridges: Why Your Community Needs to Be a "Web" - Katie Marple
20 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to another insightful episode of The Produck Podcast! In this episode, host Lee Jean sits down with his close friend and collaborator, Katie M...
🎉 Celebrating 1 Year of The Produck Podcast! 🦆
14 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve hit a major milestone! In this special anniversary episode, Lee looks back on the journey so far and shares his vision for the future. Whether...
The Architecture of Immortality: Bending Software to Preserve Human Legacy - Alex Josephson
13 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to your digital life when you're gone? In this episode of the Produck Podcast, we sit down with Alex Josephson, a "rebel" a...
Beyond the Grind: Designing a Life for Sustainable Leadership - Heather Dobbin
05 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Are you leading a business, or is your business leading you toward burnout? In this episode, host Lee Jean sits down with Heather Dobbin—a certified...
Speed vs. Process: Bridging the Cultural Gap in Japanese Product Teams - Chandni Dhawan
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Why do global product strategies often hit a wall in Japan? In this episode, we sit down with Chandni Dhawan, a Tokyo-based Talent Acquisition Special...
The Story of Lifestack: How This Univ. of Tokyo Grad is Building His Company in the US - Nao Yukawa
18 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Nao Yukawa, a University of Tokyo graduate who took an unconventional path from Japan to the U...
Building at Full Speed: Maprang Suwanbubpa’s Wild Journey Through Tech, Art, and F1
05 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Maprang Suwanbubpa – a solo founder, engineer, and serial entrepreneur whose life looks more like a world tour than...
Inside Japan’s Flagship Startup Event: Venture Café Uncovered | Featuring Ryusuke Komura
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Ryusuke Komura, Executive Director of Venture Café Tokyo and head of all Venture Café locations across Japan. We go...
The Founder Helping Students Around the World Get Into Their Dream Universities - Veronica Lee
02 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Veronica Lee, the inspiring founder of Borderless, a global platform helping students from eve...
Inside Japan Venture Academy: How Students Are Shaping Japan’s Startup Future – Aimi Komeya
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck 🦆 Podcast, I sit down with Aimi Komeya, President of Japan Venture Academy (JVA) — a student-run organization empo...
The AI Startup Saving Lives on Japan’s Construction Sites - Uttam Dwivedi
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Uttam Dwivedi, CEO and Founder of Avete, the AI startup on a mission to make Japan’s constru...
How the Tokyo Startup Lunch Club Became a Hub for Founders and Dreamers - Francisco Soares
29 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Francisco Soares, founder of Furious Green and the community builder behind the Tokyo Startup ...
Inside Youthyatra: Teaching India’s Students to Build Global Startups - Naman Garg
25 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Naman Garg, Founder & CEO of Youthyatra, an organization helping Indian students and young founders gain the skil...
Meet Maki Ozer, the Woman Behind TIB’s Global Community Push
18 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Maki Ozer, Community Manager at Tokyo Innovation Base (TIB), to explore how she’s breaking language barriers, foste...
Make an Impact: UX, Product Strategy, and the Truth About AI with Makoto Kern
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Makoto Kern — founder of IIImpact, UX/product strategist, and host of the Make an IIImpact P...
“The Dark Side of Startups: How Jordan Reiss Survived Debt, Layoffs, and Found His Way to Success”
14 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Entrepreneurship isn’t all glamour and billion-dollar exits—it’s sleepless nights, tough calls, and sacrifices no one talks about.In this episod...
Solana, Startups, and the Art of the Pitch with Sofian Meguellati,
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Sofian Meguellati, founder of DePitch Academy, three-time entrepreneur, and Solana enthusiast....
From Tehran to Tokyo: How Maryam Fallah Is Using Her Story to Help Others Succeed in Japan
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, host Lee Jean sits down with Maryam Fallah, the founder of Buddy, to explore her inspiring journey from Iran t...
Momentum, Storytelling, and Raising Capital: Vijay Rajendran’s Startup System
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What separates founders who ship, sell, and scale from those who stall? In this episode, former 500 Global leader and author of "The Funding Fram...
Designing with Purpose: Lindsay Liu on UX, Product Thinking, and Community Growth in Japan
03 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, we sit down with Lindsay Liu — UX designer at a leading FinTech company and founder of the rapidly growing T...
Inside the Mind of a Global Builder: Jet Son Tan on Startups, Japan, and the Power of People
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with serial entrepreneur, former product manager, angel investor, and Founder Institute mentor Jet ...
Decision Intelligence Explained by a Serial Entrepreneur Solving Big Problems - Evan Burkosky
23 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, we sit down with Evan Burkosky — serial entrepreneur, startup mentor, and CEO of Kimaru AI — to unpack the...
Beyond Borders: Smart Expansion for Startups Using AI - Karen Onuma-Mielke
12 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if your startup could enter new global markets without spending a fortune on consultants, lawyers, or endless research?In this episode of the #Pr...
Build Systems, Not Just Teams – Modern Org Design with Dan Ring
09 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Dan Ring, founder of Elevate, to explore the real people strategy startups need—not just whe...
From Developer to Global CEO: Egil Østhus on Building Unleash and Leading with Purpose
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Egil Østhus, the CEO and co-founder of Unleash, the leading open-source feature management platform. Egil shares his...
Rethinking Success: Nick Cawthon on Freelance, Failure, and Finding Your Way
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
🎙️ In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Nick Cawthon, a trailblazer at the intersection of UX design, technology, and product ...
Why PMs Must Adapt or Get Replaced by AI - Addo Bari
23 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck 🦆 Podcast, I sit down with Addo Bari, a Product Manager at Virtusize, to talk about his unconventional path into pro...
The Startup Hack Nobody Talks About: Accountability Partners – Featuring Son Tra
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone talks about co-founders, funding, and product-market fit...But no one talks about this one powerful hack: accountability partnerships.In this...
A Japanese Founder's Path to Global Success with Kei Watanabe, Founder of Glasp
07 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Kei Watanabe, the co-founder of Glasp, a company on a mission to democratize knowledge on the internet. From humble begin...
The Future of E-commerce and Product Management with Mercari Product Lead, Nick Pittoni
28 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Produck Podcast, I sit down with Nick Pittoni, Product Lead at Mercari, to explore his journey from gaming enthusiast to drivin...
AI, Empathy, and The Future of Design: Insights from Liang Yen Ching, a UI/UX Leader in Japan
25 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Liang Yen Ching, a UI/UX designer and the founder of the Japan Design Cloud community. Liang and I chat about transitioni...
From Hardware to AI: Humility, Teamwork, and Building the Future of Marketing - Raveen Beemsingh
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Raveen Beemsingh, a serial entrepreneur and the co-founder of Luminary Lane. We talk about his journey from building a ha...
Guarding the Future: Simplifying AI Security with Zavior - Glenn Tan
18 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Glenn Tan, CEO of Zavior, on building trust through AI security. We cover startup lessons, active listening, and why secu...
AI: Are We Shaping It, or Is It Shaping Us? - A Conversation with Matthew Chew
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I have a discussion with Matthew Chew, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and current founder and CPO of EON Protocol. Matthew comes fr...
Ideas are Worthless, Execution is Everything: Critical Startup Lessons from Shaunak Bhide
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Shaunak Bhide, founder of NewDeal Network, a referral platform helping companies grow their sales. He shares lessons from...
Inside Antler Vietnam: Lessons on Building, Failing, and Founder Grit with Anh Hoang
03 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with my former Antler mentor Anh Hoang. Anh had a profound impact on my startup journey as well as hundreds of other founders ...
Antler Adventures: Pitching, Validation, and the Entrepreneurial Hustle
23 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, my good friend and fellow Antler Vietnam (VN5) cohort mate Joshua Nathan and I have a chat about our shared experience at Antler, how...
Democratizing Finance with Tech: A Conversation with Fintech Product Manager Mike Tang
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Mike Tang, a fintech PM with over 9 years of experience. We chat about what it takes to be a successful PM in the fin...
How a UX Designer is Connecting Professionals Across Continents - A Conversation with Majid Hashmi
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I sit down with Majid Hashmi, a former UX Designer turned Founder who is tackling the problem of networking across continents. We cha...
The Pocket Change Pioneer: Unpacking Global Cash Flow in Japan - Quinn Ryder
07 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Quinn Ryder, the founder and CEO of Global Coin Solutions (GCS), a startup tackling the problem of cash logistics. We hav...
Democratizing Gaming: Will Bohn and the Mission of Wortal.ai
02 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Will, the CEO of Wortal.ai and discuss the mission he's on to make gaming more accessible for everyone. We also chat ...
Building Product Communities and Careers: A Conversation with Aaron Bomar from Product Tank Tokyo
28 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Aaron Bomar, a product manager and one of the organizers of Product Tank Tokyo. We discuss Aaron's unconventional path in...
More Than Just Cheap Houses: Understanding the Akiya Phenomenon in Japan with Tsuyoshi Domoto
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we feature Yoshi Domoto, founder of Akiya Air, a startup tackling Japan's issue of millions of vacant "Akiya" homes. Yoshi also discu...
Defying the Odds, Building Her Dream: A Female Founder's Startup Story in Japan - Yuki Obata
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Yuki Obata, a Japanese female founder with a diverse international background now building her startup in Japan. She reco...
Beyond Seniority: Leadership, Risk-Taking, and the Future of Japanese Innovation with Tim Henning
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Tim Henning, a product manager at Tripla, a company innovating in the hospitality industry. We talk about Tim's journ...
Building a Medical AI Startup in Japan: A Conversation with Joshua Owoyemi
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I chat with Joshua Owoyemi, a Nigerian native and founder of ModAstera, a startup in Japan helping other companies develop AI models for medical diagn...
Navigating Ambiguity: A Product Manager's Journey from Microsoft to Entrepreneurship - Galen Hughes
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, I chat with a former Microsoft PM about his time at the tech giant. He gives us some incredible insights into what it's li...
Escaping the Corporate Ladder: One Developer's Journey into Entrepreneurship - Noah Youngs
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with my cofounder and CTO Noah Youngs. We chat about his decision to start his career as an entrepreneur and what lead to us p...
Breaking Into Product Management in Japan: A Real Career Story with Suraj Bhandari
19 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In today's episode, we chat with Suraj Bhandari, a product manager for PayPay. Suraj shares his journey into product management along with several...