PM lessons from Google and Amazon PMs
š 7 lessons working as the first PM in a post-IPO startup generating ~2 million USD yearly with 30 million monthly users!
My first month was a bit overwhelming due to the scale of users. I moved from managing products with thousands of users to managing products with millions of users. One wrong decision could affect revenue and the operations of other teams and leaders.
š Hey, itās Valentine. Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share resources and tips to help you become a product manager. If youāre not a subscriber, hereās what you missed previously:
4 case studies I submitted to hiring managers got me offers from different companies. (Join 20+ people who have access )
Solutions to 7 popular PM interview questions using frameworks from PMs at Google, Microsoft, and Amazon PMs (Join 10+ people who have access )
Free resources (worth at least 3500$) that helped me transition from customer success to Product Management (liked by 500+ people
Sample resume used by PMs to land a Microsoft offer. (Liked by 2000+ people)
Feel free to share with PMs and aspiring PMs who want to land roles in growth-stage startups.
1. Outcomes over Output
2. Data-Informed Decision Making
3. ā Global Mindset
4. Ruthlessly ā Prioritization
5. ā ā Constant Experimentation
6. ā Continuous Learning
7. Over-communication
Letās deep dive!
1. Outcomes over Output: šÆ
In previous PM roles in early-stage startups, I was judged on how many features I launched. In growth startups, it's not just about delivering features quickly; it's about ensuring features drive meaningful outcomes for the customers and the company.
2. Data-Informed Decision Makingšš»:
Growth startups often have millions of data points. Conversations with stakeholders and executives must be data-informed. If your goal is to work at a growth startup, knowledge of SQL is a plus!
3. Global Mindset šāļø:
Managing products with users in different countries requires a global mindset. Different countries have different market dynamics, cultural nuances, regulations, etc. PMs at a growth startup need to be abreast of the various nuances in each market.
4. Ruthlessly Prioritizeāļøš :
Growth-stage startups often have the opportunity to delve into new business lines. PMs need to effectively prioritize projects to maximize limited resources. I have learned itās better to focus on a few high-impact projects rather than spreading the team thin.
5. Constant Experimentationš ļøš”:
PMs in growth startups need to constantly innovate to grow revenue and metrics. We often need to do things that donāt scale to launch products quickly.
6. Continuous Learning šš±:
PMing at a growth stage startup is a continuous learning experience. Stay curious, and embrace new technologies, methodologies, and industry trends. Invest in your growth, seek feedback, and never settle for the status quo.
7. Over-communication:
Growth startups are typically larger and more complex than early-stage startups. PMs need to over-communicate on the status of different projects to keep the team aligned.
Some of these lessons highlighted apply to other company sizes. I hope it helps someone today
When you are ready, I can help you in four ways:
Give you solutions to 7 popular PM interview questions using frameworks from PMs at Google, Microsoft, Amazon PMs
Give you 4 case studies I submitted to hiring managers that got me offers from different companies. (20+ people have purchased )
Give you free resources (worth at least 3500$) that helped me transition from customer success to Product Management (liked by 900+ people
Give you a sample resume used by PMs to land a Microsoft offer. (liked by 2000+ people)
PM Resources
1. Tacit Edge: Highly rated by PMs at Microsoft. is offering 50% off on PM courses using my referral code VAL50Ā
2. ā Product School: offers 4 free micro certifications including Product StrategyĀ and Roadmapping
3. ā Pendo: Offers 4 free Product certifications including AI for PMs
4. ā Product School ebooks: Get 10+ free ebooks
Other useful resources
Ā 1. Growing as a PM in the Course of Your Career by Google PM Director:
2. 3 Ways to Build your product muscle by Amazon Principal PM Product School :
3. Becoming a successful PM by Carlos at Product School