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Podcast: Navigating the First Product Manager Role at Startups | Amanda Unterreiner (2x lead PM, Xoogler)

The First Product Manager Role At Startups Vs. Experiences At Google And More

I have been a product manager and a product consultant. I have worked in or with companies sized 16 to 76,000 employees. However, I had never been the first product manager in a SaaS startup. I'm the first Product Manager at FlexAI. I had a known unknown.

How do I excel in this role? What makes it a different challenge?

So, I reached out to my UCLA Anderson friend, Amanda Unterreiner. Amanda was the first Product Manager at two startups and experienced both the ups and downs of the job.

Amanda and I spend 2 hours recording and writing this. You need 31 minutes to watch the podcast.

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More on Amanda

Amanda is a SaaS product leader with 10+ years of experience. She has experience with large companies, such as Google and Wellington management. She has also been part of startups, including Kazoo, Instant Teams, and TaxCredible.

She is also an avid cyclist, pilates instructor, beekeeper, and clothing designer. Speaking from first-hand experience in Los Angeles, her home-cooked meals are to die for.

Podcast Covers…

Here are the questions I asked Amanda in our podcast:

  • What does the role of a B2B SaaS Product Manager look like from your perspective?

  • You’ve worked in big companies like Wellington and Google. You’ve worked as the first PM in startups. What are the similarities and differences in the role across these environments?

  • How did your PM role change at your product's alpha, beta, and full-scale launch (general availability) stages?

  • Can you share an example of when you initially assumed the wrong responsibilities as a product manager or faced a challenge? How did you realize and correct this?

  • Companies vary in their feedback processes, from annual performance reviews to weekly manager check-ins. How did you keep yourself accountable and measure your success?

  • What specific advice would you give to someone like me, who is taking on the role of a startup’s first Product Manager at FlexAI?



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