Product Growth
Product Growth Podcast
He Was Promoted 3x in 5 Years at Google (Bilawal Sidhu)
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He Was Promoted 3x in 5 Years at Google (Bilawal Sidhu)

Bilawal Sidhu was a Senior PM in AR/VR and 3D Maps at Google. And he was promoted 3x. In today's podcast, we discuss the future of AR & VR, how to succeed in big tech, and more

Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.


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Today’s Episode

In the newsletter, we just covered how to get the Google PM job. But how do you succeed when you get there?

Today, my guest is Bilawal Sidhu, a man of many talents:

  • TED Talk speaker

  • 1M+ TikTok Followers

  • Former Google PM in AR/VR and 3D Maps

  • Thought leader in AR/VR and spatial computing

We answer that question, how to succeed at Google, and more:

  1. The Future of AR/VR - 00:13:15

  2. How He Landed a Role at Google (After Deloitte) - 00:28:01

  3. How He Got 3 Promotions in 5 Years - 00:59:26

  4. Step-by-Step Guide on Transfers and Transitions - 01:45:16

  5. Creator Life vs. Google Year 5 - 02:31:54


Here are the Key Takeaways

1. On Getting 3x Promotions in 5 Years…

The first step is don’t chase promotions at all.

Instead, chase the personality and work quality that’s worthy of getting the promotions.

Promotions, especially at higher levels, often come down to whether your work is visible and seen as valuable by the organization.

He shares that he always focused on the projects he was passionate about, collaborating with people he admired, and building a reputation for solving impactful problems.

These efforts will organically create opportunities for recognition, rather than needing to craft a "perfect promotion package."

2. Quest and Meta are Winning in AR/VR

Meta’s success with AR/VR demonstrates the power of accessible pricing, a thriving developer ecosystem, and social-driven engagement through platforms like Rec Room and VR Chat.

By lowering barriers to entry, they’ve cultivated a large user base and at the same time leveraged the network effect to sustain growth.

That’s how they were able to outsold Apple’s Vision Pro which focused more on premium pricing and advanced features rather usability and growing the ecosystem.

3. Generative AI is Revolutionizing Spatial Computing

Generative AI is reshaping the future of AR/VR by enabling real-time contextualization of the physical environment and digital inputs to create immersive experiences that were once unimaginable.

This transformation is driven by advancements in:

Natural language interfaces → Allowing users to interact intuitively with AR/VR systems.

Procedural content creation → Generating 3D assets and environments on-demand, reducing reliance on manually authored content.

Real-time contextual responses → Combining data from both physical surroundings (e.g., objects, locations) and digital sources (e.g., apps, online data) to deliver highly interactive and personalized experiences.

They bridge the gap between the physical world (what you see and interact with) and the digital world (virtual overlays and app data).

For more details, listen to the full episode now!


Referenced

  1. Book Never Lost Again by Bill Kilday - History of Google Maps and Keyhole, offering insights into mapping and spatial technology

  2. Tools


Where to find Bilawal


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Up Next

We have some great podcasts coming from: Chloe Shih (Most Followed PM creator on Instagram + YouTube), Sergio Pereira (Fractional CTO and CPO), and Adam Robinson. (CEO @ Retention.com & RB2B). 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 Grow Exec Levels (M2 to D1)

  • Rock the Product Design Interview

I think you’re going to love them,

Aakash

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