"How do I become a product manager?" is a common question of those looking to get into the field, quickly followed by "Once I become a product manager, how can I become a good one?" This panel from ProductCamp St. Louis (April 2012) presented the perspective of several different product management professionals, describing how they "became" product managers, and what advice they have to those interested in becoming product managers or those current product managers looking to succeed. The presenters bring different perspectives given their different backgrounds prior to product management -- including sales, technology, design -- as well as the varying amount of time spent in product management roles -- from 1-2 years to well over a decade.

1. How To Succeed In Product
Management Without Really Trying
Amy McLaughlin // Jeff Lash // Jason Heilman
Jeff Zimmerman // PJ Farmer
Tom Horlacher
ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

2. Amy McLaughlin
► SVP, Product Management; CitiMortgage
►8 Years in Product Management
►Before ProdMgmt: Management Consultant,
Marketing Project Manager, Accountant 
► Trying to get in to ProdMgmt? Embrace taking
lateral moves across an organization
►New to ProdMgmt? Making connections across
the company is critical to your success (e.g. IT,
Marketing, Sales, Operations, Legal, Accounting,
Risk, Executive Board)
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

3. Jeff Lash
► VP, Product Portfolio Management; Elsevier
►6.5 years in Product Management
►Before ProdMgmt: User Experience Design, Web
Development, Marketing
►Trying to get in to ProdMgmt? Understand
market problems and how to create value
►New to ProdMgmt? Gather data (lots of it!)
– Blatant plug: “Ten Tips for New Product Managers”
– http://j.mp/10tips-newPMs
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

4. Jason Heilman
►Product Manager; Sendouts
►1.5 years in Product Management
►Before ProdMgmt: Sales
►Trying to get in to ProdMgmt? Get involved with
the product team (more than just yelling for
features)
►New to ProdMgmt? Focus as much time as
possible understanding your market
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

5. Jeff Zimmerman
►VP of Product Management & Marketing;
Clearent LLC
►12 years in Product Management
►Before ProdMgmt: Investment Banking, Finance
►Trying to get in to ProdMgmt? There is no
standard path; talk to product managers and
related functions
►New to ProdMgmt? Be curious. Seek to
understand.
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

6. PJ Farmer
►Director, Storage Product Management; Savvis, A
CenturyLink Company
►5 years in Product Management
►Before ProdMgmt: Storage Infrastructure
Engineer/Architect, Unix Systems Administrator
►Trying to get in to ProdMgmt? “No one cares how
much you know until they know how much you
care…”
►New to ProdMgmt? Use your strengths while you
learn what success means at your company
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

7. Advancing in your Career
►Staying Prepared
►Internal Promotions in Companies of Various
Size
►When the Headhunter
Calls
►If You Find Yourself
Outside Looking In
How To Succeed In Product Management Without Really Trying ProductCamp St. Louis: April 21, 2012

8. Appendix

9. Executive
Board
Legal &
IT
Risk Mgmt
Product
Management
Operations Sales
Accounting Marketing