TL;DR: As a developer with an entrepreneurial mindset, I realized I could make a greater impact in the world of product management.

Introduction:

For over 14 years, I’ve been a full-time software developer, coding even before that as a hobby. Throughout my career, I’ve never been satisfied with “just doing my job.” I always had side projects, some of which evolved into paid products enjoyed by many users.

Beyond Coding:

When I wasn’t working on a side project, my focus was on developing product features to bring value to users. As time went on, I began to lose interest in honing my development skills and improving the build environment, instead preferring to add customer-facing features.

A Growing Interest in Product Management:

My curiosity led me to explore who was using our products, why, and how we could enhance their value. I yearned to be closer to the business side of things.

The Big Transition:

On my 40th trip around the sun, I transitioned from a software developer to a product manager role at Bringg. This change was an ideal fit for the company, as I was already familiar with most aspects of the business. My new role allowed for a smooth transition, where I could apply my technical knowledge and experience to the product while also addressing customer and market needs.

Challenges and Learnings:

Transitioning will have challenges like shifting my mindset from technical details to the broader business context. Luckily I am joining a well established product group and will mentorship from experienced product managers so I can quickly gain a deeper understanding of product management methodologies.

Collaboration Between Product Managers and Developers:

Strong collaboration between product managers and developers is crucial. My background as a senior developer enables me to better understand the development team’s needs and constraints, facilitating more effective collaboration.

Looking Forward:

I’m excited to see where this new path will lead me in the future. As a product manager, I can now leverage my unique blend of development expertise and business knowledge to drive even more value for our users and our company.

Full disclosure:

I had a little help from ChatGPT, an AI language model developed by OpenAI, in re-editing, re-posting and improving this blog post. I wanted to ensure the best possible content for my readers, and collaborating with AI has been a valuable part of that process.”