20 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started as a Product Manager

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

If I knew these 20 things when I started as a product manager, I wouldn’t have stressed so much, I would’ve focused on the right things, and I would’ve created even a more significant impact than I already did.

Here is your chance to learn in 5 minutes what took me 10 years to learn and 3 months to condense into this article.

1. You might consider yourself as the “CEO of the product.”

But most of the time, you will be the one taking orders from everyone. Don’t let this worry you. You are young, and you are learning. Ask questions and understand the “why” behind every order.

​​2. You think of other product managers as “too social” when they spend a significant amount of time speaking to stakeholders.

They’re building relationships — relationships that empower you to ship meaningful products and be successful. Like it or not, you should be doing the same.

3. You appreciate the value of good communication, but rarely do anything about it.

From the start, invest in improving your communication. Keep doing it — every day.