Garima, Product Manager at Bukuwarung: Advize Career Interview

A career journey from customer success to product management at a leading Indonesian fintech, Bukuwarung, is detailed in this insightful interview.

The interviewee's path highlights a transition fueled by a desire to delve deeper into software, showcasing experience in various roles including product specialist.

The interviewee emphasizes the dynamic nature of product management, describing a day filled with collaboration, data analysis, and creative problem-solving.

Key skills highlighted include strong communication, empathy, structured thinking, and data analysis. A crucial lesson learned involves embracing change and adaptability in a rapidly evolving market.

The interview offers advice for aspiring product managers, emphasizing the value of diverse experiences, proactive learning, and a curious mindset, and suggesting entry-level paths such as APM internships or data analyst roles.

The interviewee’s personal journey underscores the importance of self-belief and focusing on personal growth, illustrating a fulfilling career in a male-dominated field.

The fintech industry's rapid innovation and collaborative environment are highlighted as key aspects driving this rewarding career.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Garima Yadav

Product Manager

Bukuwarung

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, India (graduated in 2017)

UCLA Anderson School of Management (Full Time MBA, current student)

Engineering - Electrical

Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)

Product / Service / Software Development and Management

International Student

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Career Path of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Garima's career began in customer success at a test and measurement company, focusing on automotive clients, but a desire to work "deeper in the software side of things" led to a product specialist role at a creative design automation startup. This experience, working closely with the product management team, fueled a transition into product management at an Indonesian fintech startup, where Garima "figured out the product market fit" for an e-commerce platform before pursuing an MBA at UCLA Anderson to expand their scope and influence.

Career Path of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Main Responsibilities of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Garima's main responsibility as a Product Manager at Bukuwarung is to define product development strategy aligned with company vision, translating customer needs ("What is a priority for them? Where do they get stuck?") into actionable features through collaboration with UX design, data, and marketing teams. This iterative process of experimentation and development is both challenging and rewarding, as Garima highlights.

Main Responsibilities of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

A Day in the Life of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

A Product Manager's day at Bukuwarung involves a dynamic mix of collaboration with multiple stakeholders— "setting up a meeting with the sales team," working with data teams, and pitching ideas to engineering—and focused reflection to refine ideas and align stakeholders. This balance of active communication and deep thinking is crucial for translating customer needs into tangible products, a process that often includes "fire fighting" to solve last-minute issues.

A Day in the Life of a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Most Important Skills for a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, emphasizes the importance of "good communication and social skills," including understanding unspoken needs through empathy, both with customers and internal teams. Data analysis skills and "structured thinking" are also crucial for translating feedback into actionable product features.

Most Important Skills for a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Favorite Parts Of Being A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, most enjoys the creative problem-solving inherent in the role, describing the process as "exhilarating" because it transforms "ambiguous problems" into tangible solutions through iteration and feedback. The satisfaction of this "creative process," from initial idea to final product, is what makes the role so rewarding for Garima.

Favorite Parts Of Being A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, identifies the biggest challenge in her role as filtering numerous "voices" and suggestions to determine which will create the biggest impact, stating that "this requires a lot of experience." This decision-making process is refined through experience and continued problem-solving.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Tech Industry As A Product Manager

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, enjoys the fintech industry's rapid innovation and cross-pollination of ideas, finding it "very exciting" that ideas can be quickly tested and iterated upon in a flexible and collaborative environment. This fast-paced approach to product development allows for accelerated learning and growth, a key aspect of their creative process as a product manager.

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Tech Industry As A Product Manager

What Type Of Person Thrives In Product Management According To A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, identifies curiosity and "intellectual humility"—a willingness to gather information before making decisions—as crucial traits for success in the product management industry. Beyond that, strong communication, organizational skills, comfort with writing and data analysis, and approachability are also key attributes for a product manager to excel, fostering collaboration and effective execution.

What Type Of Person Thrives In Product Management According To A Product Manager At Bukuwarung

What a Product Manager at Bukuwarung Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Tech Industry

Garima, a Product Manager at Bukuwarung, advises aspiring product managers that a technical background is not a prerequisite for success; "This role is not limited to... someone with a single background," and skills can be acquired on the job through proactive learning and collaboration with colleagues. Humility and curiosity are key to navigating this, and stakeholders are generally willing to help.

What a Product Manager at Bukuwarung Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Tech Industry

Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Product Managers

For undergraduate students seeking entry-level product management roles, Associate Product Manager (APM) internships or rotational programs offer valuable exposure to the field, as "no one expects you to know everything." Alternatively, a data analyst role provides "a sneak peek into how product metrics grow," building crucial skills for a future product management career.

Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Product Managers

Significant Career Lesson From a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

Garima's most significant career lesson is the dynamic nature of the market, requiring constant adaptation: "things will not remain consistent," and the importance of embracing change rather than rigidly adhering to initial plans. This adaptability, Garima notes, makes the process "more enjoyable" and fosters continuous learning.

Significant Career Lesson From a Product Manager at Bukuwarung

College Experiences That Helped A Product Manager At Bukuwarung Succeed

Garima's undergraduate success stemmed from embracing diverse opportunities—"I didn't say no to any opportunity"—gaining valuable skills in critical thinking, communication, and working under constraints across various roles, including NGO work and science-related projects. This broad experience, coupled with continuous engagement with technology through blogs and podcasts, proved more impactful than any specific academic path, ultimately equipping Garima with a diverse skillset highly valuable in their product management career.

College Experiences That Helped A Product Manager At Bukuwarung Succeed

How Identity Has Influenced a Product Manager at Bukuwarung's Career

Garima's experience as a woman in a male-dominated engineering field initially led to immense self-imposed pressure: "I have to make sure that I do something great and I cannot fault at all," a mindset they later abandoned. This pivotal shift, toward focusing on personal interest and growth rather than proving a point, ultimately led to greater success and a more fulfilling career.

How Identity Has Influenced a Product Manager at Bukuwarung's Career

Advizer Personal Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ygarima/