Navigating Product Marketing Leadership: A Conversation with Emad from DoorDash
An Ex-Google PMM's take on product marketing.
Hi, I’m Henry, and today I’m excited to share insights from my conversation with Emad, Director of Product Marketing at Kajabi. We explored his journey from studying psychology in college to leading product marketing teams, touching on key experiences and advice for aspiring product marketers.
How Emad Got Into Product Marketing
Emad began his journey studying Psychology and Social Behavior at UC Irvine, which later became his foundation for problem-solving in product marketing. His first experience came through an internship at Beats by Dre when it was still a small team of 20-30 people. Working in a quasi-product management role, he learned the importance of being data-driven, focusing on experimentation, and managing a roadmap. His first official product marketing role was at Lyft, where he was tasked with solving how the company communicated with its drivers—a role that truly cemented his place in the intersection of product and marketing.
The Transition from Lifecycle Marketing to Product Marketing
Emad also spent time at eBay working in lifecycle marketing, a role he believes is more similar to product marketing than people realize. Both functions are centered around maintaining product-market fit, constantly evaluating how to keep users engaged and how to retain the right audience. However, lifecycle marketing often has a more tactical approach, focusing on triggering customer touchpoints, while product marketing tends to look at the broader 30,000-foot view of messaging and positioning.
Building the Product Marketing Function at Kajabi
At Kajabi, Emad was the first product marketer hired. His role was to build the function from the ground up, initially as a one-person team. Rather than immediately pushing for more headcount, Emad focused on understanding business gaps and partnering with cross-functional teams to start solving for those opportunities. His first major project was refreshing the onboarding sequence, making it more tailored to distinct customer use cases. This helped set the foundation for scaling the product marketing function and eventually expanding his team.
Transitioning to People Management
One of the most rewarding parts of Emad’s experience was transitioning from individual contributor (IC) to people manager. He relished the opportunity to help his team grow, providing them with opportunities to work on meaningful projects aligned with their career aspirations. Emad found it fulfilling to guide his team, providing feedback, prepping them for executive-level meetings, and helping them navigate their own career paths.
However, Emad acknowledged the challenges of being accountable for not only his own work but the work of the entire team. When work doesn’t meet expectations, it’s the manager’s responsibility to provide constructive feedback and defend the team when necessary. Balancing defending your team and providing honest feedback is a delicate but essential part of people management.
Staying Involved as a People Manager
Despite the shift to a leadership role, Emad still found ways to contribute as an individual. He emphasized the importance of planning and using OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to set team-wide goals while maintaining some individual projects. By working closely with PMMs (Product Marketing Managers) on key product verticals, Emad was able to continue contributing directly while empowering his team to take ownership of their own projects.
The Balance of Moving Up the Ladder
When asked about advice for early-career product marketers who aspire to move up the ladder or become people managers, Emad provided a critical insight: Focus on driving value for the business. While personal career goals like becoming a director or people manager are important, the company cares most about how you add value and help achieve business goals.
He stressed that instead of chasing titles, product marketers should look for ways to punch above their weight, collaborating across functions and demonstrating their ability to manage laterally. This involves working closely with cross-functional peers, like PMs or designers, and earning their trust by delivering impactful results. Being able to show that you can manage complex projects and relationships sets a solid foundation for leadership roles.
Final Thoughts
My conversation with Emad was filled with valuable insights on the evolution of a product marketing career and the transition into leadership. From his early days at Beats by Dre and Lyft to building the product marketing function at Kajabi, Emad’s journey shows that success in product marketing comes from a combination of strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and adding value to the business.
If you found this post helpful, feel free to leave a comment below, and let me know what other topics you’d like to hear about next time.
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