Great Life Experiment Podcast

What if the same principles that build great products could help you build a life that feels more aligned, intentional, and alive?

In this episode, Monique reflects on the unexpected ways product thinking has shaped the way she creates, leads, and makes decisions that matter. She shares how the principles of discovery and design apply not just to business, but to family rhythms, unfinished ideas, and the quiet callings that never s...

There will always be more time to do than the time we have to do it. 

In this intimate birthday reflection, Monique invites you into the truth most high-achievers avoid: There will always be more ideas, more ambition, more responsibility than there will ever be time. And strangely, accepting that might be the most liberating shift of your life. 

Monique explores the transition between seasons, the grace required, the courage to slo...

Product leadership has always been about navigating complexity - people, priorities, and pressure to deliver. But in a world being reshaped by AI, where change is faster than our ability to process it, the real challenge isn’t what we do, it’s how we think. 

In this episode, Monique sits down with Ravi Mehta, one of the most respected voices in modern product leadership. Ravi has served as Chief Product Officer at Tinder, Product D...

The best leaders aren’t setting goals. They are setting puzzles. 

In this episode, Monique sits down with Radhika Dutt, author of Radical Product Thinking, to explore a new paradigm for leadership in a world obsessed with metrics. Radhika’s framework has been adopted across 40+ countries, helping leaders, founders, and teams replace goal-chasing with vision-led learning. 

Through her concept of puzzle setting, Radhika invites us to...

Collaboration doesn’t have to feel complicated. With the right framework, teamwork can become clear, aligned, and surprisingly easy. 

In this episode, Monique introduces the P.A.I.D Model, a framework designed to bring clarity to collaboration. By identifying four key roles — Pilot, Advisors, Informed Stakeholders, and Decision Maker —  teams can navigate complexity with less friction. 

Monique explores what happens when these role...

We’ve all had those seasons where our career feels stuck, where the questions are loud, but the answers feel far away. But what if the way forward isn’t another job search, but a different way of seeing your path?

In this episode, Monique shares a simple yet powerful framework that has guided her own career moves. This practical tool helps you uncover what you truly want out of your career, recognize the strengths you already bring...

How are you, really? Sometimes it feels easier to give the polite answer than to name what’s true when the world feels heavy and your heart is carrying more than words can hold.

In this reflective solo episode, Monique opens up about what it means to live with the weight of so many emotions at once and why protecting our energy is our first responsibility. She shares the small but powerful practices that kept her grounded - closing...

When the rules of the game keep shifting, what does bold leadership look like?

In this 'Ask Monique' episode, Ben Schafer (Rev Op Leader and husband) joins Monique (Product Leader and Advisor) to explore a listener's questions: do we make bold moves in uncertain times? And how do you, as a leader, show up with all this uncertainty?

Together, Monique and Ben explore the nuances of courage, risk, why inaction is often the riskiest of...

What if the tension you are feeling right now, whether in your career, business, or life, isn’t a problem to solve, but an invitation to step into flow?

In this episode, Monique sits down with Kathy Keating, a technology executive and bestselling author of Liquid. With more than 30 years of experience as a CTO, founder, board director, and advisor, Kathy has walked leaders through the fire of SaaS, FinTech, HR Tech, and healthcare,...

When what you’ve always done stops working, it can feel unsettling. But disruption often carries a quiet invitation: maybe the only way forward is going back to the basics of who you are and what you truly believe.

In this episode, Monique explores what happens when life, work, or the world no longer responds to the patterns that once made sense. Whether it’s shifting industries, changing careers, or personal rhythms that suddenly ...

Taking a moment to pause, reset, and be present. Monique shares a quick update as she steps away for a two-week break to honor rest, family, and disconnection. The Great Life Experiment returns August 21 with fresh episodes and deeper conversations. Until then, take care of yourself, enjoy your people, and we’ll be back soon. 

• Website | https://www.thegreatlifeexperimentpodca...

What do you do when change is happening and you’re not in charge?

In this candid AMA-style conversation, Monique sits down with her husband and long-time tech leader, Ben Schafer to unpack what it means to lead through change, especially when you’re not in a formal leadership role. 

Monique shares real stories from her own career pivots - from consultant to product leader to director, and breaks down what most people miss about int...

You don’t need millions to start investing. You just need curiosity, intention, and the willingness to begin before you feel ready. 

In this episode, Monique Schafer sits down with Natalie Levy, founder of She’s Independent, to explore how angel investing becomes a pathway not just to financial returns, but also to confidence and leadership. 

Natalie shares how her journey, from Wall Street to values-aligned investing, was never ab...

You’ve returned to work after a necessary break—maybe it was for your health, family, or just life. But now you’re wondering… why does it feel like you’re starting from scratch?

In this episode, Monique offers a grounded, strategic take on what it really looks like to return to work after a career pause and the quiet courage it takes to advocate for yourself in the process. Drawing from a real-life conversation, she shares the stor...

Do you ever feel a mix of emotions when revisiting places connected to your family history? Whether it's a relative's home, a cherished childhood vacation spot, or a community where you spent a lot of time steeped in memories, sometimes these "family spaces" can feel complicated. We evolve, these places change, and the history can be heavy. But what if these complicated places offered an unexpected opportunity for personal growth a...

In this special case study episode, Monique takes listeners inside an experiment of her own — using Google’s AI tool, Google NotebookLM, to analyze the first 20 episodes of this podcast. 

Part recap, part reflection, this episode blends AI with insight and gently explores how technology can help us see our evolution more clearly. Monique shares surprising themes that emerged and offers a simple invitation: What might you discover i...

What if your next professional breakthrough isn’t about doing more but showing up differently?

In this episode, Monique Schafer sits down with powerhouse entrepreneur and social media strategist, Mary Robb. As the founder and CEO of Social Practice, Mary brings the kind of clarity and warmth that cuts through the noise and reminds us what social media was always meant to be: connection, storytelling, and service.

Together, Mary and...

This episode is a little different. No guest. No perfectly mapped-out lesson. Just me — showing up in the middle of a quiet, in-between season.

You know those times when the words don’t come? When everything feels a little slower, a little foggier… and you’re not quite sure what’s next, but you know you’re not where you used to be? That’s where I’ve been. 

Today, I’m inviting you into the pause. The space between clarity and action...

In this episode, Monique Schafer welcomes powerhouse executive Katie Kruger for a raw, riveting, and deeply relatable conversation on transformation, grit, and redefining what success looks like. 

Raised in rural Alaska, dreaming of skyscrapers while hauling firewood and joining an exclusive male workforce in the oil fields, Katie now leads in the C-suite of a $35B company and has become a sought-after policy influencer and mentor....