Trailblazing Girls in Product Administration: Angela Fleming, VP Product at FreeAgent – Product Administration Programs

For our subsequent installment of our Girls in Product Administration Collection, I interviewed Angela Fleming, VP Product at FreeAgent.  

Nicole:  Welcome, Angela, thanks a lot for sharing your insights and journey via the world of Product Administration.

Laura: Thanks, Nicole, for having me. It’s an actual pleasure to affix you.

I’d love to start out with how you bought into Product Administration.

I’ve been in Product Administration for over 14 years now. I started my profession considerably by likelihood. My path to turning into a Product Supervisor was not conventional or linear. I didn’t come from a tech background, which is extra standard. I got here from the enterprise facet. I labored within the automotive sector within the retail house doing advertising and marketing CRM. Then I moved to an automotive tech firm the place I took on a enterprise consultancy function. I used to be a buyer of the software program, then I turned a marketing consultant serving to individuals similar to me use the software program. I labored alongside completely different departments inside the tech firm, giving suggestions from prospects. I left that firm to work for an automotive retailer startup firm, beginning up the enterprise from the advertising and marketing and CRM facet. It was mainly an apprenticeship on constructing a enterprise for me, roll your sleeves up, get into all points, do every thing in constructing that up. It was an actual schooling for me from that enterprise perspective. Whereas I used to be there, a pal reached out to say there was a Product Administration function that got here up and he felt that I used to be the best particular person for it. I didn’t know what Product Administration was, however I agreed to satisfy with the administration workforce, they usually defined they needed somebody to take care of the advertising and marketing CRM software program from a Product Administration perspective. Since I had a number of expertise as a consumer and a marketing consultant, it appeared like match.

I really like how so many roads can result in Product Administration. What’s it that you simply actually love about Product Administration?

After I began, I spotted that I had a ardour for understanding buyer issues. I believe that additionally got here from my consultancy roles that I had beforehand. I used to be translating the issues and insights into what may presumably clear up the issues. It allowed me to make the most of my expertise as a result of the portfolio I used to be taking care of was advertising and marketing options, for instance automation instruments, and marketing campaign administration instruments , issues that I used as a marketeer on a day-to-day foundation. Having that area information and that in-depth understanding of the function that I used to be searching for to serve was very beneficial. And that’s the half I actually get pleasure from, understanding what that downside is, actually digging into it by happening completely different routes, bringing out your assumptions, after which discovering belongings you didn’t even take into account. That constructed up my expertise as a Product Supervisor, but additionally my information of the product improvement course of and product technique, pondering massive image, long run. That’s what began to actually excite me.

Out of your previous expertise wanting forward, what is de facto inspiring you about Product Administration at the moment?

After I began, the engineering facet was king. A whole lot of tech corporations didn’t actually have Product Administration illustration. Now, the will for individuals to maneuver into Product Administration is de facto sturdy. Expertise is rising a lot, new startups daily, new concepts, the alternatives are incredible. There’s a confidence—I’ve obtained an concept, I see an issue, I believe I understand how to resolve it, and I’m going to place my cash the place my mouth is and pursue that. That’s very inspiring.

I really like books and listening to podcasts. One e book I all the time advocate is, “Escaping the Construct Entice”, by Melissa Perri. I discover her work very inspiring and insightful. She shares the significance of shifting focus from outputs to outcomes. That’s had a profound affect on my method to Product Administration, specializing in the worth we’re bringing to the issue we’re attempting to resolve. She wrote one other e book with Denise Tilles known as “Product Operations”, which is a brand new operate I launched into our organisation at FreeAgent initially of the 12 months. Her e book was actually insightful for our journey to maneuver into that operate as nicely.

Nice suggestions. Are you able to give us some examples of how you will have moved from outputs to outcomes?

At Free Agent, we use the Jobs-to-be-done framework, specializing in what job the consumer is attempting to realize and the way finest to serve that job. Your prospects can have a wide range of completely different jobs, for instance core jobs which might be must-haves, and extra secondary jobs. We’re very targeted, and we use jobs-to-be-done in all points of the best way we work. We always discuss with it as we construct a technique across the core jobs that we’re searching for to assist. It’s positively a framework I like to recommend utilizing. It lets you actually deal with that, the duty of your consumer, your buyer, and the worth that you really want them to have from utilizing your resolution to do this specific job. It permits you to deal with that worth.

In implementing this framework, inform me about working with different stakeholders within the firm. Many people in Product Administration may not have authority, however they should affect different stakeholders. Are you able to share an instance of the way you and your workforce are doing that?

With the jobs-to-be-done framework, you even have the ODI, or Final result Pushed Innovation, that focuses on how nicely a specific job is served, the satisfaction stage versus the extent of significance. That’s one thing we launched with our consumer analysis workforce up to now 18 months. We’ve been that ODI evaluation throughout completely different buyer channels. Additionally they use jobs-to-be-done of their methods of working, however bringing in that satisfaction versus significance stage to get a scoring helps us prioritise. Our consumer analysis workforce is a part of our design facet throughout our product, design and engineering org, in order that’s an instance of us working intently collectively to seek out that data as a way to make the suitable selections going ahead.

Let’s speak about hiring. I really like that your former colleague reached out to you understanding you’ll be excellent. As VP, how do you rent Product Managers on your workforce? What are these attributes that rise to the highest that you simply actually prefer to see whenever you’re evaluating candidates?

For me, it’s essential to seek out people who find themselves going to be the suitable cultural match for our organisation. Questions permit us to get a bit extra perception, like what about FreeAgent appeals to you, and might you share an instance of a profitable product you’ve launched? How someone describes that provides us a number of perception into the best way they work. I’m on the lookout for individuals who show sturdy empathy. If they can not empathize with the purchasers they’re seeking to serve they usually can’t respect the completely different ache factors they’ve, that’s a flag to me. Possibly that particular person is just not proper for us at FreeAgent. However in addition they want actually good listening abilities and might tackle data and digest it. We’re very knowledge knowledgeable so having that analytical talent set is advantageous for the function as a result of we use knowledge for resolution making. Being comfy with utilizing knowledge is essential.

Now I wish to pivot to girls particularly. We use this phase to encourage girls to contemplate Product Administration as a profession. Do you will have recommendation particularly for ladies?

Don’t assume you want a tech background. I’ve demonstrated that’s not essential. You be taught the extent of technical understanding you want for Product Administration as you’re employed with engineers. In the event you’re seeking to break into Product Administration, be proactive, and search out alternatives to develop related abilities. Reveal empathy, convey that perception into conversations throughout the enterprise. Reveal openness to construct belief inside groups. Are there any product-related tasks you could be a part of? Work alongside individuals in that function and observe.

There’s numerous incredible books. I discussed Melissa Perri. There’s additionally Marty Cagan and an important e book by David Pereira, “Untrapping Product Groups”. And I all the time advocate discovering a mentor. It’s good to have somebody present steerage and assist and share alternatives via their networking. A mentor is a superb benefit to have as you break into Product Administration. That and networking which is important. Join with different Product Managers via trade occasions, on-line boards {and professional} teams. Networking is nice for listening to about alternatives the place you could possibly get a suggestion. If someone recommends you for a task, that might aid you break into Product Administration. Don’t be afraid to advocate for your self. Numerous views are extremely beneficial in Product Administration.

I really like all of the insights and the e book suggestions. Thanks a lot for being with us and for sharing your ardour with us at the moment, Angela.

Thanks for having me, Nicole, I actually loved it.