How can business help solve society’s biggest challenges? Welcome to Take on Tomorrow, the award-winning podcast from PwC that examines the biggest problems facing society and the role business can—and should—play in solving them. Hosts Femi Oke and Lizzie O’Leary talk to industry innovators, tech trailblazers and visionary leaders from around the globe about timely topics: from the climate transition to AI and data; and from the future of food to how we build, move and power the world.
…
continue reading
Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.
Similar to Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.
…
continue reading
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, a global influencer marketing agency, talks with great guests about influencer marketing, social media, the creator economy, social commerce and much more.
…
continue reading
Some Goodness is hosted by Richard Ellis, a seasoned sales leader passionate about inviting top business minds to share their wisdom. Each episode is only 15-20 minutes, perfect for your commute or workout.
…
continue reading
A top podcast for healthcare leaders, with over one million downloads, Radio Advisory is your weekly download on how to untangle the industry's most pressing challenges to help leaders like you make the best business decisions for your organization. From unpacking major trends in care delivery—like site-of-care shifts and the rise of high-cost drugs—to demystifying stakeholder dynamics, to shining a spotlight on priorities that may get overlooked, we're here to help. Our hosts and seasoned r ...
…
continue reading
Welcome to the What’s Next! Podcast. I’ve met so many brilliant people as I traveled the globe and have had some fascinating conversations that I’ve wished had been recorded so I could share them with you - this podcast was a way for me to recreate those moments and let you in on some fantastic insights. My current conversations center around one objective: what's next for companies and individuals as they look to innovate and grow. I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they have ...
…
continue reading
Call them changemakers. Call them rule breakers. We call them Redefiners. And in this provocative podcast, we explore how daring leaders from across industries and around the globe are redefining their organizations—and themselves—to create extraordinary impact in today’s rapidly changing world. In each episode, Russell Reynolds Associates Leadership Advisor Hoda Tahoun and former CEO Clarke Murphy host engaging, purposeful conversations with leaders in and out of the business world who shar ...
…
continue reading
The Knowledge at Wharton Network Acast feed serves as a curated showcase highlighting the best content from our podcast collection. Each week, we feature one standout episode from each show in the Wharton Podcast Network, giving listeners a comprehensive sample of our diverse business and academic content. This rotating selection allows audiences to discover new shows within our network while experiencing the depth and variety of Wharton's thought leadership across different topics and forma ...
…
continue reading
1
The Brutal Truth about Sales and Selling - We interview the world's best B2B Enterprise salespeople.
Brian Burns
9k
279
No BS Allowed - Are you sick of empty suits telling you to work harder? - Learn about The Maverick Selling Method, which models the world's best salespeople and what they do differently. If you are in sales and are passionate about selling, you will like this podcast. The focus is on b2b sales and selling. If you are selling or in sales, this podcast is for you. I cover cold calling, spin selling, challenger sale, solution selling, and advanced selling skills. Strategic selling, LinkedIn, sa ...
…
continue reading
The Partnership Economy explores the power of partnerships through candid conversations and stories with industry leaders. Our hosts, David A. Yovanno, CEO and Todd Crawford, Co-founder, of impact.com, unpack the future of partnerships as a lever for scale and an opportunity to put the consumer first.
…
continue reading
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!
Go offline with the Player FM app!
))
557: How Umbra designs beautiful products that delight customers – with Matt Carr
Manage episode 506403046 series 1538380
Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Winning product portfolios in physical product development
Watch on YouTube
TLDR
In this episode, Matt Carr, VP of Design at Umbra, joins us to discuss the intersection of design leadership, product strategy, and innovation in physical product development. Matt shares practical frameworks Umbra uses to balance creative vision and business reality, offers insights into managing a global product portfolio, discusses approaches to cross-functional collaboration, and highlights how direct customer interaction (especially via e-commerce and social media) drives rapid product iteration. Product managers will find actionable tactics for portfolio balancing, design decision-making, and fostering a design-led culture.
Introduction
What does it take to design products that delight consumers while hitting profit targets? We are examining design leadership and product strategy with someone who has mastered both. If you’ve ever struggled to balance creative vision with commercial reality, or wondered how to scale design across global teams, this episode will give you frameworks you can use immediately.
Matt Carr is VP of Design at Umbra, the Canadian-based company that designs products for every room of the home. He’s spent 25 years at Umbra, from junior designer to leading their global design operations. He’s created products that have been featured in The New York Times, Surface Magazine, and Met Home. More importantly, he’s built systems for “balancing business and imagination” that keep Umbra at the front of innovation.
Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers
Umbra’s Global Design DNA:
Matt explains how Umbra crafts products “for every room in your home.” Their five core values guide design: modern aesthetic, originality, casual sensibility, accessibility (price), and functionality.
Product Portfolio Management:
Umbra maintains long-standing lines (the maintenance bucket), continually innovates with blue sky ideas, and expands on successes through thoughtful derivatives, all while staying globally relevant.
Case Study: Bellwood Photo Frame:
As part of Umbra’s long-standing commitment to picture frames—a core “maintenance” product category—Matt Carr and his team recognized the need to innovate in a saturated market. Unlike traditional frames, the Bellwood features a single, continuous curve around the corners, giving it a modern, sculptural feel. It’s designed to look attractive from all angles, not just the front—a key differentiator from standard frames with plain or unsightly backs. The price-point allows Umbra to deliver premium feel at a price accessible to their global customer base.
Practical Design Process:
Matt outlines the design journey from early sketch and cardboard prototypes to iterative 3D models and tooling, emphasizing early, low-cost experimentation and the importance of cross-functional team input. The process involves:
- Identifying the Need or Opportunity
- Cross-Functional Brainstorming
- Early Concept Development
- Iterative Refinement and Prototyping
- Continuous Cross-Departmental Input
- Alignment with Brand DNA
- Customer Feedback and Iteration
- Final Development and Launch
Consumer-Driven Innovation:
Umbra’s internal team members often represent the target customer, but rapid feedback loops with end users—especially via e-commerce and social media—now accelerate product refinement, color choices, and new category opportunities.
Ensuring Design Consistency at Scale:
Matt explains how Umbra collaborates with external designers worldwide while maintaining brand DNA. Matt shares how great ideas are adapted through internal “design massage” to align with company ethos.
Useful Links
Innovation Quote
“Your last impression is your lasting impression.” – Matt Carr
Application Questions
- How can you adopt Umbra’s approach of balancing “blue sky” innovation and “maintenance” portfolio projects in your own product line?
- What are ways to involve cross-functional teams (manufacturing, sales, marketing) early and meaningfully in your design and development process?
- In what ways are you soliciting and incorporating direct customer feedback into product iteration, and how might you leverage newer channels like social media more effectively?
- How do you ensure that new product ideas—whether internal or external—consistently align with and reinforce your brand’s design principles?
- What prototyping strategies could you use to rapidly test and improve product concepts before significant investment in tooling or development?
Bio
Matt’s passion for design was first sparked when he interned at Douglas Cardinal Architects. He went on to study at Humber School of Industrial Design, where he received an ‘All-Canadian Academic’ award for scholastic and varsity achievements. An integral part of the Umbra design team since 2001, Matt has contributed countless designs to their product line. His work has been featured multiple times in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, Surface Magazine, I.D Magazine, Met Home, Monocle, and Living Etc. Matt is compelled to create product that balances business and imagination. Subtle details, an appreciation for imperfection, and the reinvention of traditional objects are distinguishing features of his designs. As VP of Design, Matt oversees a global design department headquartered in Toronto.
Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.
511 episodes
557: How Umbra designs beautiful products that delight customers – with Matt Carr
Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
Share
Manage episode 506403046 series 1538380
Content provided by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Chad McAllister, PhD and Chad McAllister or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.
Winning product portfolios in physical product development
Watch on YouTube
TLDR
In this episode, Matt Carr, VP of Design at Umbra, joins us to discuss the intersection of design leadership, product strategy, and innovation in physical product development. Matt shares practical frameworks Umbra uses to balance creative vision and business reality, offers insights into managing a global product portfolio, discusses approaches to cross-functional collaboration, and highlights how direct customer interaction (especially via e-commerce and social media) drives rapid product iteration. Product managers will find actionable tactics for portfolio balancing, design decision-making, and fostering a design-led culture.
Introduction
What does it take to design products that delight consumers while hitting profit targets? We are examining design leadership and product strategy with someone who has mastered both. If you’ve ever struggled to balance creative vision with commercial reality, or wondered how to scale design across global teams, this episode will give you frameworks you can use immediately.
Matt Carr is VP of Design at Umbra, the Canadian-based company that designs products for every room of the home. He’s spent 25 years at Umbra, from junior designer to leading their global design operations. He’s created products that have been featured in The New York Times, Surface Magazine, and Met Home. More importantly, he’s built systems for “balancing business and imagination” that keep Umbra at the front of innovation.
Summary of Concepts Discussed for Product Managers
Umbra’s Global Design DNA:
Matt explains how Umbra crafts products “for every room in your home.” Their five core values guide design: modern aesthetic, originality, casual sensibility, accessibility (price), and functionality.
Product Portfolio Management:
Umbra maintains long-standing lines (the maintenance bucket), continually innovates with blue sky ideas, and expands on successes through thoughtful derivatives, all while staying globally relevant.
Case Study: Bellwood Photo Frame:
As part of Umbra’s long-standing commitment to picture frames—a core “maintenance” product category—Matt Carr and his team recognized the need to innovate in a saturated market. Unlike traditional frames, the Bellwood features a single, continuous curve around the corners, giving it a modern, sculptural feel. It’s designed to look attractive from all angles, not just the front—a key differentiator from standard frames with plain or unsightly backs. The price-point allows Umbra to deliver premium feel at a price accessible to their global customer base.
Practical Design Process:
Matt outlines the design journey from early sketch and cardboard prototypes to iterative 3D models and tooling, emphasizing early, low-cost experimentation and the importance of cross-functional team input. The process involves:
- Identifying the Need or Opportunity
- Cross-Functional Brainstorming
- Early Concept Development
- Iterative Refinement and Prototyping
- Continuous Cross-Departmental Input
- Alignment with Brand DNA
- Customer Feedback and Iteration
- Final Development and Launch
Consumer-Driven Innovation:
Umbra’s internal team members often represent the target customer, but rapid feedback loops with end users—especially via e-commerce and social media—now accelerate product refinement, color choices, and new category opportunities.
Ensuring Design Consistency at Scale:
Matt explains how Umbra collaborates with external designers worldwide while maintaining brand DNA. Matt shares how great ideas are adapted through internal “design massage” to align with company ethos.
Useful Links
Innovation Quote
“Your last impression is your lasting impression.” – Matt Carr
Application Questions
- How can you adopt Umbra’s approach of balancing “blue sky” innovation and “maintenance” portfolio projects in your own product line?
- What are ways to involve cross-functional teams (manufacturing, sales, marketing) early and meaningfully in your design and development process?
- In what ways are you soliciting and incorporating direct customer feedback into product iteration, and how might you leverage newer channels like social media more effectively?
- How do you ensure that new product ideas—whether internal or external—consistently align with and reinforce your brand’s design principles?
- What prototyping strategies could you use to rapidly test and improve product concepts before significant investment in tooling or development?
Bio
Matt’s passion for design was first sparked when he interned at Douglas Cardinal Architects. He went on to study at Humber School of Industrial Design, where he received an ‘All-Canadian Academic’ award for scholastic and varsity achievements. An integral part of the Umbra design team since 2001, Matt has contributed countless designs to their product line. His work has been featured multiple times in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, Surface Magazine, I.D Magazine, Met Home, Monocle, and Living Etc. Matt is compelled to create product that balances business and imagination. Subtle details, an appreciation for imperfection, and the reinvention of traditional objects are distinguishing features of his designs. As VP of Design, Matt oversees a global design department headquartered in Toronto.
Thanks!
Thank you for taking the journey to product mastery and learning with me from the successes and failures of product innovators, managers, and developers. If you enjoyed the discussion, help out a fellow product manager by sharing it using the social media buttons you see below.
511 episodes
सभी एपिसोड
×
Welcome to Player FM!
Player FM is scanning the web for high-quality podcasts for you to enjoy right now. It's the best podcast app and works on Android, iPhone, and the web. Signup to sync subscriptions across devices.
Similar to Product Mastery Now for Product Managers, Leaders, and Innovators
How can business help solve society’s biggest challenges? Welcome to Take on Tomorrow, the award-winning podcast from PwC that examines the biggest problems facing society and the role business can—and should—play in solving them. Hosts Femi Oke and Lizzie O’Leary talk to industry innovators, tech trailblazers and visionary leaders from around the globe about timely topics: from the climate transition to AI and data; and from the future of food to how we build, move and power the world.
…
continue reading
Rachel Cooke is your guide to leadership and communication, helping you craft a workplace environment you can feel good about. She’ll share tips to help you balance your work and personal life, effectively invest your time, and be mindful about where you’re devoting your energy. Let Rachel help you navigate your path to success—however you define it.
…
continue reading
Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, a global influencer marketing agency, talks with great guests about influencer marketing, social media, the creator economy, social commerce and much more.
…
continue reading
Some Goodness is hosted by Richard Ellis, a seasoned sales leader passionate about inviting top business minds to share their wisdom. Each episode is only 15-20 minutes, perfect for your commute or workout.
…
continue reading
A top podcast for healthcare leaders, with over one million downloads, Radio Advisory is your weekly download on how to untangle the industry's most pressing challenges to help leaders like you make the best business decisions for your organization. From unpacking major trends in care delivery—like site-of-care shifts and the rise of high-cost drugs—to demystifying stakeholder dynamics, to shining a spotlight on priorities that may get overlooked, we're here to help. Our hosts and seasoned r ...
…
continue reading
Welcome to the What’s Next! Podcast. I’ve met so many brilliant people as I traveled the globe and have had some fascinating conversations that I’ve wished had been recorded so I could share them with you - this podcast was a way for me to recreate those moments and let you in on some fantastic insights. My current conversations center around one objective: what's next for companies and individuals as they look to innovate and grow. I hope these conversations inspire you as much as they have ...
…
continue reading
Call them changemakers. Call them rule breakers. We call them Redefiners. And in this provocative podcast, we explore how daring leaders from across industries and around the globe are redefining their organizations—and themselves—to create extraordinary impact in today’s rapidly changing world. In each episode, Russell Reynolds Associates Leadership Advisor Hoda Tahoun and former CEO Clarke Murphy host engaging, purposeful conversations with leaders in and out of the business world who shar ...
…
continue reading
The Knowledge at Wharton Network Acast feed serves as a curated showcase highlighting the best content from our podcast collection. Each week, we feature one standout episode from each show in the Wharton Podcast Network, giving listeners a comprehensive sample of our diverse business and academic content. This rotating selection allows audiences to discover new shows within our network while experiencing the depth and variety of Wharton's thought leadership across different topics and forma ...
…
continue reading
1
The Brutal Truth about Sales and Selling - We interview the world's best B2B Enterprise salespeople.
Brian Burns
9k279
No BS Allowed - Are you sick of empty suits telling you to work harder? - Learn about The Maverick Selling Method, which models the world's best salespeople and what they do differently. If you are in sales and are passionate about selling, you will like this podcast. The focus is on b2b sales and selling. If you are selling or in sales, this podcast is for you. I cover cold calling, spin selling, challenger sale, solution selling, and advanced selling skills. Strategic selling, LinkedIn, sa ...
…
continue reading
The Partnership Economy explores the power of partnerships through candid conversations and stories with industry leaders. Our hosts, David A. Yovanno, CEO and Todd Crawford, Co-founder, of impact.com, unpack the future of partnerships as a lever for scale and an opportunity to put the consumer first.
…
continue reading
Player FM - Podcast App
Go offline with the Player FM app!
Go offline with the Player FM app!
