Hey Cassie, tell us a bit about your path to becoming a PM I took a potentially unconventional path. At a previous company I was originally in the marketing team but in early 2018, I saw we were hiring for a Product Manager role.
Honestly, I didn’t really know what a Product Manager was or what the product teams did. It wasn’t something I’d come across before working there. I thought the role sounded a bit like me, it mentioned responsibilities that felt familiar to my PGCE teacher training and interest in working with people. I just felt like I could be good at it and so I applied and didn’t look back.
What inspired you to pursue your career in Product Management? I sort of fell into product management. I would say that after seeing the job advert, applying, going through the process and being offered the role, the inspiration followed.
The Head of Product at the time was so inspiring to me, and she was just so wonderful that she made me feel energised. I was then sent on a week-long General Assembly product course which really inspired me. I ended it feeling so positive, passionate and excited to take on the role.
What’s one bit of advice you would give yourself if you were about to start your career in tech? Be kind and go easy on yourself in the early days. It can be tempting to jump before you can swim and want to make a good impression, but that can lead to burnout too soon. I was lucky that I had a great line manager and Head of Product, who had carefully considered this and developed a well-thought-out plan for day one, week one, month one and so on. This meant I was slowly introduced to the role, the team and my responsibilities. It helped me develop much more confidence over being expected to just figure it all out myself. I think that’s really important when you’re brand new to a career.
Who have the most influential role models been in your career? One is definitely the manager who took the risk in hiring me into my first product role when I had no prior experience. She was a brilliant leader, and we became really close friends, watching her go through her product career as well as becoming a mother and going through some difficult stages. She has always had time for others, showed respect, kindness and knew how to help people see their value and was always a huge cheerleader. She was good at challenging you without micromanaging.
More generally, I’m always inspired most by people who are able to balance work and life: those who don’t let work become their be-all and end-all, yet have inspiring and interesting career paths.
What’s the best thing about working at Loomery? Without a doubt, it’s the people and the values they hold. The team is so talented and supportive, and we have fun together. Everyone looks out for each other both in terms of wellbeing and success.
At Loomery, diversity goes far deeper than the first impression. We pride ourselves on a culture that celebrates a range of different backgrounds, life stages and individual needs. Because Loomery cares a lot about its people, there’s a really supportive environment that ensures everyone’s needs are met, empowering us to be the best we can.
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