When you look closely at how people actually transition into a PM role, the paths vary widely: Associate PM programs, MBAs, internal transfers, or moving from adjacent roles like engineering, project management, or customer success.

After speaking with 50 people who moved into product, one thing stood out: while their backgrounds were different, the behaviours that helped them break in were consistent.

This session explores those patterns:

• Where people came from before becoming PMs
• Whether product was their first role or a transition later in their career
• What kinds of companies enabled their first PM opportunity
• How long it typically took to make the shift

More importantly, the focus will be on what actually moved the needle.

I’ll also share my own journey from customer support to product leadership, and how working across GTM and engineering, solving problems, and increasing cross-team leverage led to product ownership.

This session is designed for anyone trying to break into product from a non-traditional path, or looking to better understand what it actually takes to make that transition.