Deb Liu joins Carmen Palmer for the first episode in our monthly series, In The Lead. Deb shares insights from her year away from titles and company affiliations - what she did, what she learned and the clarity she is carrying forward in 2026. As always, Deb has great insights and advice.

In The Lead is a new monthly series on Product Rising. It will share thought provoking conversations hosted by Carmen Palmer, CEO of Women In Product, with a wide range of industry leaders. It uses a revolving set of questions to get an engaging combination of hot takes and deep insight into the current state of product, working and leading in today’s technology industry, and building effective organizations.

00:45 Meet Deb Liu: Tech Executive and Author

02:28 Defining Success in the New Year

03:03 The Blank Name Tag Club

04:58 Navigating Career Transitions

09:27 Overcoming Failure: The Facebook Marketplace Story

14:08 Building Perseverance Through Adversity

18:43 The Evolving Role of Product Managers

22:07 Understanding Customer Needs in AI Startups

23:26 Understanding Customer Needs

24:01 The Role of Product Managers

25:14 Strategic Positioning in Companies

26:09 Adapting to Technological Changes

28:35 Leadership and Empathy

29:33 Opportunities for Product Leaders in AI

33:07 Personal Experiences and Insights

36:07 Challenges in Corporate Life

43:15 Future of Leadership and Technology

45:59 Closing Reflections

📚Resources:

Perspectives Newsletter On Substack
TEDxSanDiego talk - Deb Liu

✨Where to find Deb:

On LinkedIn
Perspectives Newsletter On Substack
Deb’s Website
TEDx Talk

💫 Where to find Carmen:

On LinkedIn

🙋🏻‍♀️Where to find Women in Product:

On LinkedIn
Website https://womenpm.org/
Join the Community https://womenpm.org/wip-community/