Last month we asked our product management experts about the transition from working at a startup to working at an enterprise. While each expert took a different path to enterprise product management, there were similarities. They told us that both startups and enterprises have intelligent, talented, and passionate people and that you’ll learn a lot in both places.
However, most of our experts made the switch from startup to enterprise because they wanted to deepen their product management skills and broaden their scope. They also ended up improving their communication skills because enterprises have many more stakeholders that must be heard and brought on board. Teamwork becomes more important than moving as fast as possible. The experts also stressed to get clear on your career goals and do a lot of research into company culture if you’re thinking about making the move to enterprise.
There was another question we asked them: ”What useful information sources helped you to move more smoothly through this transition?” The number and quality of resources they came back with were impressive. Based on their answers, we put together this selection of books and podcasts for product managers looking for inspiration and knowledge for their careers.
Thanks to these product managers for their expert recommendations:
- Vinay M. Aradhya (Senior Product Manager at Flutter Entertainment plc)
- John McDonald (Senior Product Manager at HEB)
- Debbie Motilewa (Senior Technical Product Manager at AWS)
→ Test your product management and data skills with this free Growth Skills Assessment Test.
→ Learn data-driven product management in Simulator by GoPractice.
→ Learn growth and realize the maximum potential of your product in Product Growth Simulator.
→ Learn to apply generative AI to create products and automate processes in Generative AI for Product Managers – Mini Simulator.
→ Learn AI/ML through practice by completing four projects around the most common AI problems in AI/ML Simulator for Product Managers.
Below you will find our experts’ selection of books and podcasts for product managers thinking about moving from startup to enterprise or just looking for inspiration and knowledge for their careers.
Books
- Continuous Discovery Habits: Discover Products that Create Customer Value and Business Value by Teresa Torres
- Cracking the PM Interview: How to Land a Product Manager Job in Technology by Gayle Laakmann McDowell and Jackie Bavaro
- Decode and Conquer: Answers to Product Management Interviews by Lewis C. Lin
- Escaping the Build Trap: How Effective Product Management Creates Real Value by Melissa Perri
- Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters by Richard Rumelt
- Inspired: How to Create Tech Products Customers Love by Marty Cagan
- Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products by Marty Cagan
- The Lean Product Playbook: How to Innovate with Minimum Viable Products and Rapid Customer Feedback by Dan Olsen
- User Story Mapping: Discover the Whole Story, Build the Right Product by Jeff Patton and Peter Economy
