I don’t often share about my professional journey, but this post is all about it.
In my “previous life,” I was a product manager, fully immersed in the startup world. My days were filled with long hours, tight deadlines, and quarterly flights abroad. It was exciting but relentless.
When we set out on our sailing journey, I took a nine-month break – the longest pause I’ve ever had in my professional life. During that time, I discovered something new: I love helping others. Sharing knowledge, passing on insights, and seeing how my experiences could make a difference brought me joy and purpose. Not only do I love it – I’m good at it.
From that moment, I made myself a promise: to rebuild and transform my professional path around what I love – whispering, supporting, and helping others succeed.
Being a product manager taught me a lot about people. It’s about understanding their desires, needs, and limitations. It’s about reading market winds, recognizing constraints and opportunities, and starting small, iterating: improving, fixing, and adding as you go. Most importantly, success isn’t about personal achievements – it’s about the success of the team. You don’t lead with force; you lead with trust, humility, and empowerment. You listen, stay attuned to the environment, and remain vulnerable, willing to make mistakes, and learn from them.
With these principles in mind, I began my journey. I started small, adding bit by bit, experimenting, learning, and adjusting along the way.
For the past year and a half, I’ve been working with OKR QuickStart, an amazing company based in Australia. Together, we’ve collaborated with clients from all over the world. Our meetings bridge continents, cultures, accents, and unusual time zones – all online. This work has deepened my understanding of what it means to help others succeed.
Six months ago, I added a new layer to my journey with the guidance of one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. Someone every product manager knows by name: Marty Cagan. With his mentorship, I’ve been sharpening my skills and gaining new perspectives. I even traveled to Chicago for one of his workshops, learning how the best companies in the world build products. It was my first business trip in this new phase of my life – a step forward in becoming a better coach for my clients.
This journey is far from over. I envision growing as a coach, helping more teams unlock their potential, and deepening my expertise in product management. I’m excited to continue learning, connecting, and guiding others toward success – and I’m loving the ride.
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