Diversity in Product: Monica Ugwi
Monica is a product leader with over a decade of experience building meaningful products for millions of users. She has deep technical expertise and leads with an empathy for users and her teams. She is obsessed with using technology to make lives better.
Monica has built products at Shopify, Google, Facebook, as well as in startup settings. She holds a degree in Computer Science from Grinnell College and an MBA from Stanford University.
We’re excited to showcase her on our Diversity in Product interview series!
We’d love to hear about your journey into product management. How did you become a PM, and what were some of the challenges you faced in securing your first PM role?
I started my career in tech as a Software Engineer building high-frequency trading engines on Wall street. While I was doing this, I became intrigued by the PM role and started doing a side gig as a PM for a startup. I fell in love with the work and here I am.
One of the biggest challenges I faced was learning my own style of PM’ing. There are so many different ways to be a product manager, given the ambiguous nature of the role. I had to learn the styles that work for me in different situations. It also took me a little while to gain the confidence to shine as my authentic self at work.
What are some ways hiring managers can make that first PM role easier to obtain for people who don’t look or think like them?
It’s crucial for us hiring managers to check our biases as we source, interview, onboard, and coach people. To build the best products, we need the best and the brightest, regardless of social constructs.
We should be mindful of the qualities that are coachable for the roles we’re trying to fill. This will better position us to bet on people with non-traditional backgrounds who have great promise. For example, being technical has a lot more to do with a curiosity for tech and ability to understand tech systems versus a mastery of any particular coding syntax.
We also need to check that we are indeed sourcing candidates from diverse backgrounds. It’s not enough to simply look at the people closest to you or at people who have a lot in common with you. Remember, you are trying to build a dream team; talent can be found anywhere and it’s wise to have a team of people who spike in complementary skills.
Looking back on that first PM experience, what advice would you give yourself?
I would say “Monica, you’ve got this. Everything you need to succeed is already within you. You just need to learn how to unleash it onto the world. Let’s go!”
That’s right. I will mostly focus on propping myself to believe in my vast potential. Similarly, I want to encourage any new PMs: you’ve got this, yo! Yes, you will make mistakes. Indeed, you will have some not-great product reviews. But remember, you will also learn and course correct, and you have so much potential to crush it. Get in here and get it.
Product management can sometimes be an isolating role. What are some approaches you’ve taken to get support?
I invest heavily in building authentic, trust-based relationships with my team. We’re in this together. I spend time with my engineering, data, UX and other colleagues. I listen to their struggles and I’m not afraid to share my own vulnerabilities.
I also have WhatsApp groups of fellow PMs where I trade ideas, war stories, compensation figures, etc. Some of these groups are made of close friends who work at other companies and are a great source of outside perspectives.
What do you find frustrating about being underrepresented in product management?
What I find most frustrating is that we’re missing out on so much of the dope talent from underrepresented groups. Think of how much better the world would be with the right access for all!
From your perspective, what’s one thing people should be more aware of?
If you build a reputation for helping the team ship meaningful products, this will accelerate your ability to win their trust. This way when you come trying to haggle for some feature or the other, they know you’re the real deal and you’re leading everyone towards the right outcomes. There is nothing like that feeling of seeing your team launch something amazing with users getting real value. It helps the team bond and makes all the work worth it. Always be shipping (meaningful products)!
Can I sneak in another: It’s ok to have hard days and to fail at things. We all have those days. Keep at it, and reach out to others for help when you need support. Hard days are often a sign that you’re pushing yourself and learning along the way.
What’s the best way for readers to reach out to you and stay on top of what you’re doing?
Come follow me on LinkedIn!
We’re always looking for new perspectives to highlight, to bring more diversity into product management! If you have someone you’d like to nominate, please send us an email at admin@productteacher.com, we’d love to hear from you!