In this episode of the Intentional Product Manager Podcast, Shobhit Chugh reconnects with longtime friend and product leader Sekhar Putcha. Sekhar opens up about a bold, non-linear career path that’s taken him from supply chain roles at Amazon to consulting at McKinsey, and now to leading global supply chain product at Starbucks.But this conversation is more than just a resume walk. Sekhar shares:How optimizing for learning, not titles, shaped his careerWhat most PMs misunderstand about operations and supply chain rolesWhy optionality can help early in your career, but clarity wins laterHow to bring product thinking into legacy organizationsThe real (and not-so-real) impact of generative AI in supply chainWhat McKinsey taught him about sharpening product senseYou'll also hear about Sekhar's homemade gelato hobby, how he uses AI for deep writing, and his advice for managing marriage like a product (yes, really).If you're a product leader navigating career choices, struggling with context switching, or curious how AI is really changing the game, this episode is packed with insights and laughs.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome and podcast intro00:27 – Meet Sekhar Putcha + Seattle vs Boston, gelato, and marriage as a product03:41 – Sekhar's bold, non-linear path: Amazon → McKinsey → Starbucks10:09 – The PM’s dilemma: Optionality vs specialization15:41 – The truth about operations PMs and why they matter more than you think21:10 – Bringing product mindset to legacy orgs (and project cultures)27:53 – Generative AI in supply chain: real-world use cases (and hype)35:42 – How Sekhar uses AI to accelerate writing and thinking38:50 – The McKinsey effect: Day One Hypotheses and product sense44:20 – Rapid fire: TikTok, The Goal, Starbucks scale, and what AI should take off his plateConnect with Shobhit Chugh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shobhitchugh/Connect with Sekhar Putcha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sekharputcha/www.intentionalproductmanager.com

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