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Today’s Episode
I have another in-person episode from my India tour!
This is with prolific podcaster Aishwarya Ashok, who had me on her show about a year ago. She’s also had awesome guests like Shreyas Doshi.
In our chat from my awesome Airbnb in the heart of 100 ft road - the center of tech in India - we cover:
The Growth Story of Zoho - 02:17
How to Transition from PMM to PM - 18:39
How to Actually Get PM Interviews - 28:42
Top No-Code Tools for Building - 35:02
How to Rock PM Interviews - 41:53
Here are the Key Takeaways
1. How to Transition into PM? Stop Chasing Titles and Start Solving Problems
If you aspire to transition into product management, don’t wait for recognition.
Start by solving real customer problems and contributing to product decisions within your current role.
For example, when Aishwarya was responsible for only product marketing…
She identified workflow automation gaps, did user research and suggested features, and collaborated with engineers… all before becoming a PM.
Then she eventually became one and nailed her role.
So, don’t wait for the title.
Instead, demonstrate your skills with tangible outputs like user research, product briefs, or prototypes.
Then apply for the PM role and you’ve solid chances of making the successful transition.
2. How did Zoho Grow? Great Products Focus on Ecosystems, Not Features
Successful products don’t just solve isolated problems.
They address interconnected challenges by creating seamless, end-to-end user experiences across tools and platforms.
At Zoho, their focus wasn’t just on individual tools…
But on creating a unified ecosystem where products like CRM and email tools complemented each other.
Here’s how you can create one:
Analyze how your product fits into the larger user ecosystem.
Design for integration, not just standalone value.
Focus on enhancing the entire user journey, not just individual features.
So, design products that integrate smoothly within a broader ecosystem.
By doing so, you’ll drive customers’ satisfaction and loyalty.
3. How do you find Your Perfect Product Management role?
Breaking into or advancing in product management isn’t just about applying widely.
It’s about aligning your career with the right company, product stage, and problem space.
First, start with self-reflection and ask yourself:
Do I enjoy building from scratch or refining existing systems?
Do I thrive in ambiguity, or do I prefer defined processes?
What industries or user problems am I most passionate about solving?
Then identify company stage (startup, growth, enterprise) and product phase (early-stage, scaling, mature)
Lastly, tailor your networking, applications, and skill-building to roles and organizations that fit your goals.
And here’s some behind the scenes from our episode:
The night after this event, I hosted a huge sold-out event in Bangalore. It was an epic trip!
Where to find Aishwarya
Up Next
We have some great podcasts coming from: Anuj Rathi, Bilawal Sidhu, and Chloe Shih. 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: How to Use Referrals to Actually Get Jobs - The Three Types of Referrals
And look out for these pieces up next:
The Google PM Interview Guide
European Market Deep Dive
How to Grow Exec Levels (M2 to D1)
I think you’re going to love them,
Aakash
