Significant Career Lesson from a Product Manager at ChargePoint
Kevin's most significant career lesson stemmed from launching their own company, navigating "the highs and the lows," including difficult decisions like firing employees and managing disagreements. This experience provided invaluable skills directly applicable to Kevin's current product management role at ChargePoint, where they translate "a very nebulous idea" into defined products.
Project Management, Entrepreneurship, Visionary Leadership, Problem-Solving, Decision-Making
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kevin Chung
Product Manager
ChargePoint
Cornell University 2011
UCLA MBA
Political Science, American Studies
Energy & Utilities, Technology
Product / Service / Software Development and Management
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member, LGBTQ, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. The highs and lows of launching a company provided invaluable experience in managing difficult situations, such as firing employees and handling disagreements.
2. Creating and managing a vision for a product, from a nebulous idea to a defined timeline, is a crucial skill applicable to many product management roles.
3. Starting your own business offers diverse experiences not easily replicated within a single corporate job, particularly in developing leadership and product management skills.
Transcript
What is one lesson that you have learned that has proven significant in your career?
The one giant lesson for me was trying to launch my own company and seeing where things go. It was so meaningful, both in the highs and the lows.
The lows involved difficult conversations, like how to fire someone or deal with disagreements. I learned to be blunt when necessary.
The flip side, the big pro, is that you get to manage your own thing. You take an idea from your head and turn it into a vision with a timeline.
This is similar to many product management roles. You might not create the vision directly, but you take nebulous ideas and customer interests, and make them defined and actionable.
Doing my own thing gave me so many experiences that a single job at another company wouldn't have provided.