Career Path of a Product Manager at B2B Creative SaaS Marketplace
Evan's career path, beginning with a psychology and professional writing background at UCSB, involved a sales role, a Master's in Technology Management, and a project management consulting project that helped secure a program management role at a microfabrication company. This eventually led to a product manager position at a B2B SaaS startup, where they learned the importance of persistence and networking, ultimately transitioning to an AI-related startup focusing on creators—a testament to "staying persistent, keeping engaged with your network," and transferable skill development.
Career Development, Project Management, Networking, Resilience, Technology
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Evan Bradshaw
Product Manager
B2B SaaS Marketplace for Creative Production
UCSB
UCSB: Engineering School, Master of Technology Management (MS)
Psychology
Technology, Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Evan's career path highlights a non-traditional route to product management, starting with a psychology major and leveraging transferable skills from various roles.
2. His experience showcases the value of networking and persistence in achieving career goals, even with initial setbacks in securing a desired position.
3. The emphasis on transferable skills and the iterative nature of his career progression highlight the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in navigating career transitions, especially in the dynamic tech industry.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
Absolutely. In undergrad at UCSB, I majored in psychology and minored in professional writing for scientific communication. I also completed the professional certificate program in Technology Management.
During my undergrad, specifically in my senior year, I started a part-time sales role. I continued in that position and then joined the organization full-time after graduating.
Following that, I returned to UCSB for a Master's in Technology Management. My undergraduate experience had shown me I liked the program, and I wanted to pursue it further.
The master's program included a capstone project where you collaborate with a local company on project or product management efforts. I worked with Appeal Sciences in Goleta on a project management consulting project, which helped me secure my job after completing my master's.
During the time between my undergrad and master's, I also worked with my cousin, an entrepreneur and thought leader in the wireless IT space. This experience gave me insight into building and running a successful business.
After my master's program and that project concluded, I needed my first full-time job. I was aiming for a role in software, but I wasn't able to land one.
Instead, I accepted a program management role at Automata, a microfabrication company. In that position, I was responsible for projects involving the creation of microchips.
I was still eager to get into software product management. I remained persistent, kept my network strong, and continued reaching out to friends and mentors. Eventually, I was offered an opportunity to work as a product manager at a B2B SaaS marketplace startup for creative content.
I've been with that team for almost two years. Now, we are being spun out into a new startup with new leadership. I'll learn the exact details soon, but I know it will be AI-related and will continue to involve working with creators.
For me, this path is a story of persistence, staying engaged with your network, and recognizing that you can develop transferable skills even if your first job out of school isn't exactly what you envisioned. I encourage you to talk to people in your desired roles and listen to advice, such as in videos like this, where you can hear from individuals who landed in their dream roles without a traditional background.