Lenny's Newsletter and Lenny's Podcast

What it is

Lenny's Newsletter is written by Lenny Rachitsky, a former product lead at Airbnb. It covers product management, growth, hiring and career questions, often through surveys, benchmarks and interviews with experienced product leaders. Lenny's Podcast, published alongside, features long interviews with product managers, founders and designers.

Free vs paid

This is a freemium publication on Substack. As of 2026-09:

• Free subscribers receive some posts, far less often than paid subscribers.
• The podcast episodes are free on the site and on common podcast apps.
• Paid subscribers get every issue, the multi-year archive, a private community and a bundle of free product subscriptions. The site lists annual plans at roughly $200 to $400 a year depending on tier; check the subscribe page for current prices in your currency.

Many people expense it through a work learning budget. As a student, you do not need the paid plan to benefit: the free podcast archive alone covers hundreds of hours of product management conversations.

Is it worth your time?

For aspiring PMs, yes, in moderation. It is one of the most widely read product publications and gives you a sense of how product people at well-known companies talk about prioritisation, metrics, roadmaps, hiring and career growth. Some posts include templates, such as PRD formats or planning documents, which are useful to compare.

Be selective. The focus is on venture-funded technology companies, mostly in the United States. Salaries, hiring volumes and career paths discussed there may not match your market. Use it to learn frameworks and vocabulary, then check local job postings for what employers near you want.

How to use it

• Subscribe free and listen to episodes on the topics in this roadmap: discovery, prioritisation, writing specs, metrics, working with engineers.
• After each episode, write down one idea you would try and one you disagree with.
• Do not collect frameworks for their own sake. A portfolio case study that applies one idea well is worth more than knowing twenty.

Common questions

Is the paid tier needed to become a PM? No. Free resources, practice and a portfolio matter far more.

Is it only for senior PMs? Much of it targets mid-level and senior readers, but career and fundamentals posts and many podcast episodes are accessible to beginners.