One of the questions we’re often asked at Product League is, “I am a VP of product. Can you match me with an advanced enough mentor to guide me through my challenges?”
And the answer is always yes.
“Product League was the right solution for me because they matched me with a great mentor for my particular needs,” shares Cory, the VP of product at a fintech startup in London, England.
“Being able to discuss and review ideas and approaches with Zac, my mentor, is the number one benefit I received from being a mentee in the League.
My goal in joining the program as a mentee was to be able to discuss my Product approach with someone more experienced because I am one of the few people in Product at my company,” says Cory.
Senior PMs Need Mentors, Too
We come across this situation often: Product Managers at a startup who love their job but need fellow PMs to consult with. And we frequently hear from senior PMs in leadership positions who are still eager to learn more.
Cory is a combination of the two.
“I love to build products from scratch for people to actually use and enjoy. And in order to get even better at that, I set personal goals to improve my experimentation skills, better understand different pricing strategies, and learn how to build a product organization. I heard about Product League through a friend, and applied,” she says.
At the same time, far away in Texas, USA, Zac, her mentor-to-be, found out about Product League over Linkedin and decided it was the right platform for him to help others benefit from his experience and the lessons he’s learned over the years.
This is the League success story of Cory, a mentee from London, England, and her mentor Zac, from Texas, USA.
An Instant Connection
“Taking innovative products to market across highly regulated industries such as insurance, banking, and healthcare is what I enjoy the most about product management,” says Zac.
“You are the CEO of your domain and there is nothing better than that. And when you love what you do to that degree, you want to give back. I couldn’t wait to be connected with bright Product Managers eager to learn. That’s you, Cory!”
“Do you know when I first knew that I was in the right place?” asks Cory. “It was during our first chat because we really got along.”
“The quality of candidates was actually a concern of mine when applying for Product League,” shares Zac. “But when I saw that I’d been paired with my mentee, Cory, I immediately knew that this was a great match.
Then, we continued making the partnership work. It starts with building a relationship, listening, and then sharing information for the betterment of your mentee.”
My best and most important tip to all mentors out there is: invest in your relationship and do the work. It is a mutually beneficial relationship if you allow it to be.
Developing a Plan for Long-Term Growth
“And Zac and I had great communication,” shares Cory. “When I applied to join Product League, I was a little concerned about how much time my mentor would be able to dedicate to me.
But it was great to discuss my work with Zac and get his feedback. I am a scientist at heart (I studied biochemistry at university) and always loved researching and developing ideas.
Product management enables me to bring an R&D approach to real people.
And with Zac’s mentoring, I am one step closer to my long-term goals of building amazing products and Product teams.
“My long-term goal is to grow my network of highly talented product leaders. This is the main benefit of being a Leaguer,” says Zac, smiling. “And I can’t wait for the next batch so I can do it all over again!”
