Audio Products Podcast

This time we look back at 2025 — through the voices of the people who shaped it.
From indie plugin developers and AI startups, to UX leads, hardware PMs and R&D heads at companies like Roland, Universal Audio, Safari Audio and d&b audiotechnik — 2025 gave us 15 deep conversations about what it really takes to build audio tools that matter.In this solo episode, Wojciech reflects on:• What builders, designers and founders taught us about careers, workflows and innovation• Recurring themes across companies of all sizes – from Beatport to Pro Sound Effects• The hidden skills and rituals that make audio products succeed (or fail)• Trends in AI, sound design, UX and product culture that emerged from the year• What we’re launching next and how you can be part of itIf you're working in or around audio — or building tools for those who do — this wrap-up is for you.Thanks for being with us this year! 🙏
➡️ Join our course AI-Augmented PM
https://aipm.rokanan.com/
 
Other links
➡️ Join our Discord
https://discord.com/invite/jd6Fgv5XTR
 
➡️ Sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming events
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
 
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast
 
➡️ Check out our Meetups in Berlin for audio product leaders
https://audioproductjam2.eventbrite.com
 
About Wavelab Incubator
➡️ https://www.wavelab.io/en/startups-2/
 
Teresa Torres: Continuous Discovery Habits 
➡️ https://www.amazon.com/Continuous-Discovery-Habits-Discover-Products/dp/1736633309 

We met again with Dr Tomasz Żernicki. This time we talked about how AI is reshaping product management workflows and what it really means for PM jobs. Is AI going to take over, or will it finally let PMs focus on strategy instead of chasing tickets and status updates?
➡️ Join our course AI-Augmented PM
https://aipm.rokanan.com/
 
➡️ Join our Discord
https://discord.com/invite/jd6Fgv5XTR
 
➡️ Sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
 
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast

We met Andrew Cresswell, Head of Product Sales at ICEpower A/S.➡️ Join our Discord:https://discord.com/invite/jd6Fgv5XTR➡️ Sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates:https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr ➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content:https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast➡️ How to get from start-up to scale-uphttps://organizationalphysics.com/2015/10/15/rethinking-product-management-how-to-get-from-start-up-to-scale-up/ ➡️ Audio Product Portfolio Management course https://rokanan.com/2025/12/17/audio-product-portfolio-management-2/ #audioPM #musictech #proaudio #scaleup #productportfolio

We met with Wolfgang Schulz, Head of Product Management Electronics & Software, d&b audiotechnik.
➡️ Join our Discord
https://discord.com/invite/jd6Fgv5XTR
➡️ Sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast
#audioPM #musictech #proaudio #speakers

We have met in Berlin with Gösta Wellmer to discuss product design culture, hardware product management and more!
 
Gösta is a design and product leader with 15+ years of executive experience driving innovation in the music technology industry. He is a former Director of Design at Native Instruments and a former CEO Elektron
 
➡️ Join our Discord
https://discord.com/invite/jd6Fgv5XTR
➡️ sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates -https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast
➡️ Connect with Gösta
https://www.linkedin.com/in/goesta-wellmer/
➡️ Check out our Meetups in Berlin for audio product leaders
https://audioproductjam2.eventbrite.com
 

We met Brad Swanson, the Head of Product at Pro Sound Effects to talk about the sound design market and products
 
➡️ sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast
➡️ Join our Discord
https://lnkd.in/dCCFsgyr.
 
Podcast edited with DynAssist. 

In this episode we met Tzipi Schindler, who is grateful to have found a home in the music software industry for the past seven years as a product manager at Native Instruments, starting with Native Access and from there on to the release pipeline. She considers herself a hope-driven product manager and we will hear more about why that is. We have discussed culture, diversity and how to build teams where people feel they belong.Tzipi will also be a speaker at our upcoming Berlin meetup, Audio Product Jam so if you would like to listen more about her experience, you must pop in!
More info herehttps://lnkd.in/dCbxkX58
 
Resources from the episode
 
Books:
Brown, B. (2010) The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are. Hazelden.
Ozenc, K. And Glenn Fajardo (2021) Rituals for Virtual Meetings: Creative Ways to Engage People and Strengthen Relationships. Wiley.
Shafak, E. (2020) How to Stay Sane in an Age of Division. Profile Books.
Rosenberg, M.B. (2015) Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. PuddleDancer Press.
Articles:
Circles of Influence Retrospective Format: https://www.dianalarsen.com/blog/2010/07/26/circles-and-soup/
5 Whys Sprint Retrospective Format: https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/agile-coach-toolkit-1-5-whys
Music:
Streisand, Barbra. “Avinu Malkeinu”. Higher Ground. Columbia Records. YouTube. 1997.
More links
➡️ sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
 
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast
 
➡️ Read Audio Products Blog
https://rokanan.com/blog/
 
Podcast edited with DynAssist. 

In this episode, we sit down with Silvia Taschner, Head of Wavelab Incubator — a startup program supporting European founders in the Music, Arts, and Media industries.
With deep expertise in music and cultural Management, Silvia brings years of experience in running accelerator programs and leading product development within cultural institutions. She offers a unique perspective at the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Together, we explore the current landscape of the creative startup ecosystem — the opportunities and challenges. We also dive into how initiatives like Wavelab empower early-stage ventures to grow.
About Wavelab
➡️ https://www.wavelab.io/en/startups-2/
Join the Wavelab program!
➡️ https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPcLlhc9Q1E1jdJsPXpAvqEJMKDGPlZlDoXnMdLauTiCRLQg/viewform
Silvia's Linkedin (for the info about the upcoming startup applications
https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-taschner/ 
 
More links
➡️ sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates
https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
 
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast 
➡️ Read Audio Products Blog (article from Jens from Wavelab)
https://rokanan.com/blog/ 
https://https://rokanan.com/2025/06/04/how-wavelab-helped-just-4-noise-land-their-first-industry-deal/
➡️ Join our Discord community
https://lnkd.in/dCCFsgyr.
 
Podcast edited with DynAssist. 

We met with Moritz Surwehme, the co-founder of NoiseWorks, the company behind vocal editing plugins like DynAssist that have already gained recognition in the industry and have been called by some the best product of the Supebooth 2025He shares the story behind the founding of NoiseWork and the building of their flagship products.Moritz started off developing audio plugins for his bachelor's thesis at SAE Bochum, where he met Ilan - his business partner. After falling in love with C++, JUCE, Figma and DSP, he is turning all the ideas in his head into plugins, step by step.
 
➡️ Try DynAssist (affiliate link, you buy and support the podcast):
https://noiseworksaudio.com/?ref=wojciech
➡️ Watch DynAssist tutorial
https://youtu.be/UgRQkp2NSSU?si=1cPz1wb_XGhe-Pav
 
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast

We met with Joshua Hodge, the Founder of The Audio Programmer (TAP), a global community for music and audio software enthusiasts.
Since launching in 2017, TAP has since empowered thousands through video tutorials, books, podcasts, and events worldwide. Beyond fostering community, Josh expanded TAP into a recruitment firm and creative development agency, opening doors for others into new opportunities and successful audio products.We discussed the story behind founding the company and what Josh’s entrepreneurial secret source is but also the opportunities and threats related to the emerging technologies like AI.
➡️ sign up to our newsletter for audio job openings, articles and upcoming event dates -https://tinyurl.com/ywjxwszr
Support our podcast
➡️ Support our podcast and get premium content
https://buymeacoffee.com/audiopodcast 
The Audio Programmer's resources
➡️ Upcoming meetup in London
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/audio-programmer-interface-london-2025-api-tickets-1415093987209?aff=oddtdtcreator
➡️ Audio Programming Tutorials
https://www.theaudioprogrammer.com/tutorials
➡️ The Audio Programmer Discord Server
https://www.theaudioprogrammer.com/discord
 
Podcast edited with DynAssist