4 Key Product Learnings That Shaped My PM Career
Product management isn't taught in business school. It's learned through experience — the wins, the failures, and the moments that fundamentally change how you think about building products.
When I started my first software project as a student, I was absolutely certain our apps would be the best in the world. They weren't. I had no clue about product discovery, MVPs, lean thinking, or product strategy. So I learned by doing.
Years later, after building products for millions of customers, four specific experiences stand out as turning points. These learnings shaped my approach to product management and continue to guide how I work today.
"Discipline makes you successful. Inspiration and motivation don't."
This insight from my podcast captures what I've found to be true: product management success comes from consistent practice of fundamentals, not occasional bursts of brilliance.
1. Becoming the CEO of My Own Product
September 1st, 2014. My first day as a Product Intern at Shopgate.
The VP of Product told me: "Working as a product manager means being the mini-CEO of the product. If you want your product to succeed, it needs to solve the problems of its users."
Two emotional reactions hit me simultaneously:
- Excitement — being responsible for a product and shaping it sounded incredible.
- Terror — I had no idea how to manage a product for 10,000+ merchants and 40 million end-users.
My thinking was flawed from the start. I was used to making changes whenever I wanted. But I'd never focused on the problem I was trying to solve. Without a clear product vision, I was building features in the dark.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: it's far easier to jump into solutions than to understand root causes. You can build an app that scans wheat and identifies grain types. Does it solve a problem? Maybe. Does it help a hundred thousand people? Probably not.
The products that succeed are the ones that solve real problems. Everything else is just code that nobody needs.
2. Think Like a Team, Not an Individual
A Product Manager is not a boss. You're not a supervisor. You're an equal part of a team that builds products together.
Common development team roles include:
- Product Manager — defining vision, strategy, and priorities
- Software Engineers — building the product (frontend and backend)
- Quality Assurer — ensuring software ships without bugs
- Product Designer — creating user experience and interface
Your role as PM is to lead and empower the team — not to dictate what gets built. This means:
- Understanding and defining problems, then sharing them with your team
- Working out solutions together
- Making decisions and defining priorities together
- Defining vision, mission, and purpose together
The emphasis on "together" isn't accidental. When you involve your team in these decisions, you get better outcomes and stronger buy-in. When you dictate from above, you get compliance at best and resentment at worst.
3. Learning How to Listen to Stakeholders — Really
Stakeholders are the people directly or indirectly affected by your team's work. They can be internal (within your company) or external (partners, governments, customers).
At SumUp, I regularly interact with:
- Customers — the most important source of input
- C-Level — share company vision and strategy
- Sales — know what's demanded and how to sell it
- Customer Support — aware of pain points and customer wishes
- Marketing — understand markets and need regular PM input
- Business Intelligence — use data for better decisions
Never Underestimate the Experts in Your Own Company
Customer Support talks to customers daily. They can give you invaluable feedback. Sales representatives know exactly what customers want and how to position the product.
I've learned that the sooner I involve stakeholders, the better the outcome. Don't be afraid to invite them to team meetings. Let them share their knowledge and needs with the whole team.
But be careful: some stakeholders are opportunistic. They'll try to push requirements by telling your team what to build. This isn't healthy — especially in sales-driven companies. The more senior and autonomous your squad becomes, the less likely you'll face this problem.
4. Leaving My Bubble
Early in my career, I rarely talked to customers. I was too focused on learning how to work with my team internally.
This was a mistake. I should have spent much more time with customers from day one. That knowledge would have made me far more effective with my team later.
If you want to build great products, you need to talk to customers. Grab a Designer and an Engineer, and go meet them. Remember: it's always about them, not about you. Ask the right questions and let them talk.
The Better You Prepare, the More Insightful the Interview
Customer interviews aren't always easy to organize. Time constraints make it harder. Depending on your company size, parts of discovery might be handled by other departments.
Other ways to gather feedback:
- Phone interviews
- Surveys (qualitative and quantitative)
- Analytics tools
- Churn analysis
The business segment matters too. B2B feedback is harder to get than B2C. B2B2C can be even trickier.
I try to talk to merchants at least once a week. If I'm too busy, I ask our Support Team to schedule calls. Stay connected!
Beyond customers, look at competition. Study how other companies solve problems. Create accounts with competitors. Buy their products. What are they focusing on? How did they approach a solution?
Understanding what's happening around you prevents you from living in a bubble. And if you don't have competition today, stay even more attentive. Capital and good marketing can create dangerous competitors quickly.
"People need to fight more for jobs. Purpose in life is becoming more important."
This observation from our podcast resonates with what I see in product management today. PMs who understand their purpose — and can articulate it — tend to build better products and have more fulfilling careers.
How to Get Started
These four mindset shifts helped me understand what makes a great product manager:
- Focus on customer problems, not solutions
- Collaborate with your team, don't dictate
- Listen to stakeholders and leverage their expertise
- Leave your bubble and stay connected to customers and markets
If you're just starting out, I recommend three books that shaped my thinking:
- Inspired by Marty Cagan — great overview of how product management works
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries — essential reading on building products through fast iteration
- Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore — for understanding markets and product lifecycles
And if you're looking for structured guidance, consider working with a product coach who can accelerate your learning curve.
I'd love to hear about your own product management journey. What experiences shaped how you think about building products? Connect with me on LinkedIn.