I really enjoyed recording this episode because Hattie’s experience resonated with me. Having worked with a micro manager, I understand what it means to go through feelings of imposter syndrome and needing to prove my impact where I work.

In this episode, Hattie takes me through her career experiences and her journey as a Product Marketing Manager (PMM).

Hattie’s Journey to PMM

Hattie, known as "Hattie the PMM," shares her personal journey in the product marketing field. She reflects on her previous role as a product manager at a $150 million firm, where she felt secure until the onset of tech layoffs. Witnessing her talented friends being laid off prompted her to think about job security and how to stand out in a competitive job market.

To address her concerns, Hattie started posting on LinkedIn, sharing her experiences and insights. She realized that many product marketers struggle with imposter syndrome and lack a supportive community.

Maximizing Your Personal Brand For Success

Hattie’s been posting authentic content on LinkedIn, and recently launched productmarketers.com, a community for PMMs to connect and learn from one another. Alongside building her own product marketing community, Hattie consistently builds her brand on social media using an authentic and direct approach.

Order Takers vs. Strategic Thinkers

Differentiating the two is important to shape an inspiring and influential career in product marketing.

Hattie reflects on her early career, where she often felt the need to please others by taking on ad hoc tasks that did not align with her strategic goals. This reactive approach led to a lack of respect and authority within her role.

It’s important to set boundaries and focus on projects that drive meaningful results. She encourages product marketers to prioritize their work based on strategic objectives rather than simply responding to requests from colleagues. By doing so, they can position themselves as valuable contributors who are capable of driving impact within their organizations.

Taking an internal audit can help you reach this state as a PMM. Identify your champions in the company and ensure you align with your colleagues’ goals and incentives. “Let me learn more about you so I can help you.”

Final Tips For PMM Success

Hattie closes the episode with 3 key practical tips for becoming a strategic leader:

1. Set Boundaries: Clearly define your role and responsibilities to avoid being overwhelmed by ad hoc tasks.

2. Focus on Impact: Prioritize projects that align with strategic objectives and drive meaningful results.

3. Communicate Effectively: Develop strong communication skills to articulate your vision and influence stakeholders.

Helpful Resources

• You can listen to the full episode on Spotify, other pod platforms, or YouTube

• 📧 Join Hattie the PMM's email newsletter

• Follow Hattie the PMM on LinkedIn for daily posts

• Join www.productmarketers.com THE private membership for Product Marketers who want to build influence, prove their impact, and get noticed, inside their company and across the industry.

• You can grab your ticket to the PMA Summit in NYC here 🗽 
  👉 Use this exclusive discount code TLDL15 for 15% off!