“If you like being responsible for everything but in charge of nobody, this is the job for you.” – Christian Idiodi

Product management is one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic career paths in the tech industry. But what does it take to become a great product manager? According to Christian Idiodi, partner at Silicon Valley Product Group, the answer isn’t found in a degree program—it’s forged through experience, failure, and an unwavering focus on customer-centric innovation.

In this Insights Unlocked episode, Christian shared his unconventional journey into product management, the evolution of the role, and his advice for aspiring product leaders. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your skills, this episode was packed with insights that can help you grow in the discipline of product management.

The unexpected path to product management

Unlike traditional careers that follow a structured educational path, most product managers don’t set out to become one. Christian’s own journey started in sales before he unexpectedly found himself leading a product initiative after winning an internal business competition at CareerBuilder.

“I was pre-med in college. I wanted to be a doctor, solve big problems like cancer or HIV,” Christian shared. But after taking a year off to travel, he ended up in a sales job. One day, a competition was held where anyone in the company could pitch a business idea. The winner would receive funding and become the CEO of their own initiative.

Christian entered on a whim, submitting his idea just before the deadline. “I ended up winning the competition. I was 23 years old with a check for almost a million dollars to run a business, and I had no clue what I was doing.” That first product initiative came with a steep learning curve.

Learning from failure

Like many early-career product managers, Christian made a common mistake: making decisions in a conference room instead of talking to customers. “I realized I was disconnected. I was making decisions from a conference room without actually understanding my customers.”

His early failures became the foundation for his product philosophy. He discovered that successful products stem from deep customer understanding and continuous experimentation. Since then, he’s gone on to build or influence nearly 200 products, refining his approach along the way.

The evolving role of the product manager

Product management has undergone a massive transformation in recent years. What was once an undefined or overlooked function is now central to the success of modern companies.

Christian described this shift: “I’ve seen product go from an unneeded discipline to an undefined one, to a necessary evil in some places, to now being fully leveraged and accountable.” Today, some of the world’s top companies, including Google and Instacart, invest in structured programs to train and develop product managers.

However, Christian noted that the role is still far from standardized. “I don’t think I’ve met any two companies with the same definition of what a product manager should be.” Despite this, the discipline continues to evolve, and demand for skilled product managers is growing 40% year over year.

Coaching and mentorship are key

One of the biggest challenges in product management is the lack of formal education programs. According to Christian, “70% of product people are self-taught.” He sees this as both an opportunity and a challenge.

Because great product managers learn from great product leaders, mentorship is critical. “The best product people I’ve met in the world have learned from great product leaders. Unfortunately, there aren’t very many great product leaders.”

He emphasizes that managers must take an active role in developing their teams: “Doing the job is your job. Getting better at the job is the manager’s job.” Too often, leaders focus on deliverables instead of coaching their people. But without mentorship, product managers struggle to grow.

The intersection of UX and product management

Another common challenge in product organizations is defining the boundaries between product management and UX design. Christian argues that rather than focusing on ownership, teams should focus on collaboration.

“There’s a lot of work to go around,” he said. “The role of product management is to ensure we are creating value in a way that works for the business. The role of design is to ensure that value is experienced.”

To illustrate the power of design, he gave an analogy: “Imagine you’re driving a $30,000 car and I’m in a $300,000 Rolls Royce. We both have to get to the airport at the same time. Why did you pay 10 times more? Because of how the Rolls Royce makes you feel. That’s what design contributes.”

He encourages product managers to embrace design as a critical partner in delivering customer-centric innovation.

Customer-centricity: The key to product success

One of Christian’s strongest beliefs is that the best product managers obsess over customer needs. In today’s remote work environment, some teams struggle to stay connected with customers, but Christian sees this as an advantage.

“I’ve spoken to more CEOs in the last year than ever before. They’re not on flights to Japan or China. They’re at home, and they want to talk.”

With digital tools making research more accessible, there’s no excuse not to engage directly with customers. 

“Your customers don’t care about you. They only care about you to the extent that you solve their problems.”

He also cautioned against relying too heavily on best practices without questioning them. “Best practices are proven techniques, but that doesn’t mean they are always the right answer. You need to empower teams to experiment.”

The future of product management

Looking ahead, Christian is excited about how technology is transforming product management.

“We’re living out all of our childhood sci-fi movies. Self-driving cars, AI, automation—things we thought were 100 years away are happening now.”

He believes product managers will play a crucial role in shaping this future. With the pace of innovation accelerating, companies will need strong product leaders who can navigate complex challenges, drive meaningful customer experiences, and lead with a vision.

For those looking to break into product management or level up their careers, Christian’s advice is simple: “Don’t wait for a formal role to start practicing the discipline. Start today.”

Solve problems as a product manager

Christian Idiodi’s journey is a testament to the power of learning through doing. Whether you’re an aspiring product manager or a seasoned leader, his insights reinforce that success in product management comes from customer obsession, continuous learning, and a willingness to embrace failure.

As Christian put it, “No one needs permission to innovate. If you see a problem, go solve it.”

Episode links: 

• Customer-centric product development: build better products fast: This guide emphasizes the importance of creating products that solve real customer problems, leading to higher adoption rates and customer loyalty.
• Creating a product development strategy that drives results: This blog post discusses how integrating research, innovation, and customer-centric product development can lead to continuous growth and success.
• 4 Tips for customer-centric digital product development: This blog post highlights the importance of collecting customer feedback throughout the product development process to create satisfying customer experiences.
• How to build customer-centric products with fast feedback loops: This guide provides strategies for implementing feedback loops to ensure products align with customer needs and expectations.