Why Product Unshipped?
Because great product thinking doesn’t start with the roadmap. It starts with a question.
Product Unshipped isn’t about features that didn’t ship. It’s about the thinking that should’ve come before they did.
In a world obsessed with launch velocity, dashboards, and shipping ceremonies, Product Unshipped is a deliberate pause. A place to reflect on the why, not just the how fast.
This publication exists for one reason:
To help you build real products with clarity, not chaos.
We unpack the decisions behind the decisions.
The tensions in trade-offs.
The story behind the shortcut.
The moments you pivot at 2 AM, not because a framework told you to,
But because your gut (and user data) did.
No jargon. No fluff. No LinkedIn-flavored takes.
Just high-signal, honest thinking that helps you make better product calls.
👋 Meet the Builder Behind It
Hey, I’m Himanshu Sharma - Currently leading OAuth and UPI onboarding at Paytm.
I started my career chasing Harvey Specter’s swagger, but ended up obsessing over product sense, user psychology, and the subtle art of trade-offs that don't show up in PRDs.
Over 4 years, I’ve worked across:
Zero-to-one bets
Fraud and compliance infra
Consumer onboarding at scale
AI-native side projects
But the biggest thing I’ve learned?
Product sense isn’t taught in MBA decks. It’s earned in trade-offs, tension, and “I’m not sure this will work” moments.
This newsletter is my way of thinking out loud so we can all sharpen together.
This newsletter is me thinking out loud, with you.
Why I Write This
Because I’ve shipped things that shouldn’t have been shipped, and I’ve not shipped things I should’ve fought for.
I don’t want to be right in theory. I want to be right in context.
Product Unshipped is where I slow down, reflect, and make sense of that chaos, out loud. If it helps sharpen your lens, too, you’re exactly who I write for.
What you’ll get as a subscriber
Every issue of Product Unshipped is written for builders, not browsers.
You’ll find:
• Sharp Product Frameworks: Mental models to clarify chaos. Think beyond “prioritization” and into product calculus.
• Real-World Case Studies: From scaling Paytm’s OAuth flows to debugging my startup ideas at 2 am, I’ve shipped, broken, and rebuilt enough to know that what not to build is half the game
• Daily Learnings in Public: I think, build, reflect, and write about it. No polish. Just honest, in-public thinking while it’s still messy.
• AI x Product Thinking: How AI is reshaping product work prompts, agents, strategy, infra, and workflows.
• Growth Playbooks: Playbooks from the field: GTM, user trust, retention trade-offs, agent-powered onboarding.
• India-Relevant, Global-Aware: Because being a PM in Sarjapur or Noida hits differently. You’ll get context that maps local constraints to global strategy.
Who should subscribe?
PMs navigating ambiguity who crave clarity, not content with clutter
Founders chasing product-market fit with real product sense
Builders experimenting with AI, design, growth loops, and systems
Indie thinkers who care about user truth over vanity metrics
Indian PMs looking for signal-rich thinking, not Silicon Valley worship
Why it matters
Frameworks are powerful, but only when used with clear thinking.
Tools don’t make decisions. Product minds do.
There’s no shortage of content or templates. What’s rare is clarity, the kind that cuts through chaos and helps you build with confidence.
Product Unshipped is your regular lens into that kind of thinking. Not just the “what,” but the “why” and the “why not.”
Because in the end, great product work isn’t about what’s popular. It’s about what works for your users, in your context.
This newsletter is for those who treat product as a craft, not just a career.
🤝 Let’s Connect
This Isn’t a Broadcast. It’s a Backchannel.
I’m not writing for algorithms. I’m writing for people who care about building better.
If something resonates, reply.
If something feels off, challenge it.
If you’re just here for reading, that’s cool too.
I read every response, and some of the best ideas often start with a simple: “Hey, I felt this.”
Twitter:
LinkedIn: ps-himanshu-sharma
Subscribe to Product Unshipped
You’ll get access to all past archives, upcoming issues, and the occasional drop of something wild, weird, or deeply useful.
No spam. No noise. Just honest, field-tested product insights straight to your inbox.
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Forward this to a PM or founder who needs to think deeper. They’ll thank you later.
