1 Big Mistake I Made When I Was First Getting Started In Product Management

Like most beginners, I made a lot of mistakes when I first started working as a product manager.

But this was the biggest one, by far:

I thought the only thing that mattered was "getting out of the building" and talking to customers.

Here's what happened:

When I first got started as a product manager, I spent all of my energy on talking to customers and "getting out of the building." This was great for generating new insights and learning, but I lost sight of other important factors.

But, it's also worth acknowledging that making this mistake taught me a ton.

I realized that it wasn't enough that customers all said they had a certain problem. It had to be a problem my team could solve, with a business model that made sense, and that aligned to a broader vision from the founder.

This is why I encourage everyone to see their mistakes (and "failures") as necessary steps along the path.

There is always a lesson to be learned.