What Type of Person Thrives in the Creative Production Industry According to a Product Manager at B2B SaaS
To thrive as a product manager in software development, a person needs "curiosity" to uncover underlying problems and a "problem-solving" mindset to dig deep and understand their root causes, employing methodologies like "the five whys". Furthermore, the ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and "drop something" to pursue new initiatives is crucial for success in this fast-paced environment.
Problem-solving, Curiosity, Adaptability, Empathy, Product Management
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. Curiosity is key: Successful product managers possess a deep interest in understanding not just the surface level of problems, but also their root causes. They ask “why?” repeatedly to uncover meaningful insights.
2. Problem-solving skills are essential: The ability to analyze problems, empathize with users, and utilize problem-solving frameworks (like the five whys) is crucial for success.
3. Adaptability and a fast-paced mindset are necessary: Product managers must be comfortable quickly adapting to changing priorities and be willing to drop less important tasks to focus on what's most critical. The ability to shift gears is vital in this dynamic environment.
Transcript
Who thrives in industry?
How would you describe people who typically thrive in this industry? People who thrive as product managers in software development are curious, problem solvers, and problem thinkers. They are also fast-paced.
Curiosity is essential; you need an interest in seeing the problems you're working on get solved. You should also be curious about why these problems exist in the first place. Without curiosity, you won't thrive or bring meaningful insights to your team.
Being a problem solver or problem thinker means you can think deeply about issues and understand their core. Someone might present a surface-level explanation for a problem. You need to empathize and dig deep to understand its origin. Methodologies like the "five whys" and other problem-solving frameworks can be helpful.
If you're inclined to question "why" rather than just accept that a problem exists, you might thrive as a product manager in software development. Being fast-paced means being willing to keep up with changes and also willing to drop tasks you've invested time in. Product managers often attract people who enjoy building, but you also need to be willing to stop building something and start a new project.