Successful product managers often emerge from backgrounds with no prior experience in the domain, suggesting that having experience in the field is actually negatively correlated with being a top performer. The top performers tend to come from diverse backgrounds, demonstrating ambition and a strong desire to prove themselves. These individuals are willing to go the extra mile, understand the customer deeply, and craft creative solutions to their problems. The two core parts of being a product manager are the ability to deeply understand the user and the ability to create effective solutions. To understand the user, one must be willing to put themselves out there, even if it means feeling like a fool or facing rejection. Coming from non-traditional backgrounds often helps develop the resilience necessary to handle rejection. The second core part is having sufficient knowledge of product building, including engineering and design, to lead the team and build a product that solves the customer's problems.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode