Let’s be honest: when many people hear “Product Manager”, they think “Ah, the person who pushes developers to build features and sends long Jira updates.”

But the real power of a PM—especially in startups—isn’t in the roadmap. It’s in shaping the culture of how products are thought about, built, and scaled.

🚀 PMs as Internal Evangelists

In many tech companies, especially early-stage startups, product thinking isn’t a given. It’s something you, as the PM, have to sell—internally.

Your developers want clarity.
Your sales team wants speed.
Your CEO wants magic.
And you? You need alignment.

Here’s how you champion product thinking across your org:

✅ Break down the jargon – Translate “user personas” into “our main customers: Chidera the student and Ahmed the trader.”
✅ Educate without sounding like a professor – Run quick 15-minute “product snack” sessions weekly with non-tech teams.
✅ Highlight user wins – Celebrate when a user feature solves a real pain. “That onboarding tweak boosted activation by 30%!” hits harder than “We completed sprint 14.”

Remember, if you're not actively evangelizing product thinking, don't be surprised when decisions are driven purely by gut, vibes, or the loudest person in the room.

👔 PMs: Mini-CEOs or Service Leaders?

Let’s address a popular myth: “PMs are the CEO of the product.”

Well, that depends.

In Silicon Valley, maybe.
In Lagos or Abuja? Not always.

Here’s the truth: the PM wears many hats—but influence isn’t guaranteed. You’re not the CEO unless:

• You understand the business model better than most.

• You’re trusted to make tradeoffs that affect revenue.

• You own metrics that matter to leadership.

So, instead of aiming to be a “mini-CEO,” think of yourself as a cross-functional leader who:

👉 Translates business goals into lovable user experiences
👉 Guides the team to say no just as confidently as they say yes
👉 Manages up, down, and sideways without friction

You're not just pushing Jira tickets—you’re driving clarity, alignment, and impact.

💡 Building Product-Led Growth (PLG)

Product-led growth sounds sexy—users discover, adopt, and upgrade without a sales team breathing down their necks. But does it even work?

Short answer: Yes—but with customization.

Here’s what PLG looks like locally:

🔹 Freemium with a twist – Offer value upfront, but consider airtime-based trials, WhatsApp onboarding, or offline-first flows.
🔹 Let the product speak – If users must contact customer support to understand your app, it’s time to rethink.
🔹 Data-informed nudges – Use simple analytics (even Google Sheets!) to track activation and retention.

Bottom line: Your product should be your best marketer. If your startup is still over-relying on “bros, abeg help me post this link” marketing, you may be due for a PLG mindset shift.

Final Thoughts: You’re More Than the Roadmap

In the tech space, PMs who succeed are those who see themselves as culture shapers:

💬 You influence how teams think about users
🧭 You guide the business toward clarity
🎯 You bring focus to an ecosystem that can be... let’s say, beautifully chaotic

So yes, ship that feature. Manage that sprint. But don’t stop there.

Shape how your team sees the user. That’s the real win.

👉 Want to put this into practice?

• Start a 15-min "Product Culture Friday" at your startup.

• Identify one non-product teammate you can help understand user-centric thinking this week.

• Share this article with a fellow PM who’s stuck being a ticket-pusher—they might just need a mindset shift.