Product Growth
Product Growth Podcast
From Laid Off to Most Followed PM: How Chloe Shih Grew to 750K+ on Insta, 300K+ on YT
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From Laid Off to Most Followed PM: How Chloe Shih Grew to 750K+ on Insta, 300K+ on YT

In today's podcast, we explore Chloe's viral journey, breaking into product management, experience as a former PM at big companies (Discord, TikTok), building a personal brand, and more.

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.


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Today’s Episode

We bring you another episode that has been in the works since I launched this podcast last year.

I’m so excited about this guest.

I made the trip out to LA to record this in-person episode.

Chloe Shih was laid off from Discord last spring.

And she filmed it. Going viral multiple-fold over.

Since then, she’s used the moment to become the most followed PM across platforms, with over 750K+ followers on Instagram.

Today, we dive deep into Chloe’s journey.

We discuss:

  1. Filming Her Layoff – 00:01:32

  2. PM @ TikTok – 00:22:23

  3. Culture of Meta – 00:48:25

  4. How She Secured a Role at TikTok – 01:00:01

  5. How She Landed a Role at Discord – 01:10:53

  6. Advice for Laid-Off PMs – 01:16:03


Here are the Key Takeaways

Here are the 5 key takeaways from Chloe’s journey:

1. Expand Your Luck Surface Area Through Repetitions 

What if your toughest career moment could turn into your biggest breakthrough?

Chloe’s layoff video at Discord wasn’t a carefully crafted strategy…

Yet it reached over 100 million impressions across platforms. 

How? It was simply another repetition in her years-long daily vlogging habit. 

That consistency transformed what might have been an “another lay off video” into a global phenomenon.

Another concept I really like in this context is Engineered Serendipity — it simply means that the more consistently you take action, the more "luck" seems to work in your favor.

2. Being a PM at Big Tech is All About Mastering Product Cultures

Product culture shapes how teams make decisions, execute projects, and define success. 

She experienced firsthand the vast differences between companies like Discord, TikTok, and Meta. 

Discord valued scrappiness and intuition…

TikTok emphasized structure and speed…

While Meta relied on rigorous documentation and experimentation. 

Each culture influenced how she approached her work, collaboration, and decision-making.

So, if you aspire to become a PM at big tech, navigating through product cultures is the most important skill.

Here’s the simple framework to do it:

  • Is the company intuition-driven, data-heavy, or reliant on experimentation

  • Study how leaders think and make decisions. Align your ideas with their priorities and communication style.

  • Be prepared to adjust your workflows, from scrappy start-up methods to structured corporate processes, without losing your personal style or focus.

3. The Secret to Breaking into Product Management

Breaking into product management isn’t about the title…

It’s about demonstrating your readiness. 

To make the leap, start by identifying user pain points, developing practical solutions, and collaborating with engineers to bring them to life.

For example, Chloe worked at a live-streaming startup where no product manager existed.

While her role was in business development, she stepped up by gathering feedback from creators and sharing actionable solutions with the engineering team.

This approach not only solved immediate problems but also showcased her ability to think strategically.

And eventually, that initiative-first approach paved the way for her to become a PM at major companies.

4. Some Setbacks Are Blessings in Disguise

In fast-paced industries like tech, layoffs and reorgs are often unavoidable. 

But not all these setbacks are the end of the road, many are opportunities in disguise. 

When Chloe was laid off from Discord, she could have let the moment define her. 

Instead, she used it as a chance to pause, reflect, and pivot. 

This unexpected break gave her the space to focus on building her personal brand, diving deeper into content creation, and reevaluating her career trajectory.

And now, she’s the most followed PM in the world.

The lesson? When life throws you a curveball, look for the opportunities it brings.

5. Building a personal brand as PM

If you want to create a personal brand that would beget amazing opportunities…

Focus on creating meaningful content rather than chasing likes or followers. 

Content that educates, inspires, positions you as authority, and helps others to solve their problems.

Because a personal brand rooted in authenticity and value will not only grow your audience…

But also open professional opportunities, like speaking engagements, collaborations, and even the job offers you never thought was possible.

Chloe’s story is a proof that a strong personal brand isn’t built overnight. 

It requires consistency, authenticity, and a willingness to share your unique perspective. 

Start small, stay consistent, and let your impact grow.

For more details, listen to the full episode now!


Referenced

  1. Books:

  2. Tool: Notion — Her go-to tool for organizing creative projects and managing workflows

  3. Strategy: Episodic Formats — A storytelling structure that divides a story into self-contained episodes


Where to find Chloe


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Up Next

We have some great podcasts coming from: Adam Robinson (CEO @ Retention.com & RB2B), Sergio Pereira (Fractional CTO and CPO), and Pierre Herubel ( B2B Content Expert, 122K+ on LinkedIn). I’m so excited to share them with all of you.

In the newsletter, check out this week’s latest piece if you haven’t yet: The Google PM Interview Guide: Everything You Need to Know.

And look out for these pieces up next:

  • European Market Deep Dive

  • How to Be AI-Powered as a PM

  • How to Grow Exec Levels (M2 to D1)

  • Rock the Product Design Interview

I think you’re going to love them,

Aakash

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