In 2021, I was at a crossroads professionally.

I had been climbing the product marketing ladder, moving from senior individual contributor roles to leading a team to leading multiple teams. I assumed that was the natural next step — more responsibility, more impact, more leadership.

But what I didn’t realize at the time was that moving into management (especially the C-Suite) wasn’t just the next part of my career — it was a completely different job.

This is the part that isn’t talked about enough.

We treat management like a promotion in the same career track, when in reality, it’s a career shift. And for senior PMMs who are thinking about their next move, it’s critical to understand what that shift actually means before making the jump.

In today’s edition, I’m going to break down the two product marketing career tracks and discuss the realities of each.

The Two Parallel Paths of PMM

At a certain point, every senior PMM faces a choice:

1. Do you want to go deep and become a subject matter expert — owning positioning, segmentation, competitive strategy at the highest level? OR,

2. Do you want to move from execution to enabling others — hiring, coaching, setting team strategy, and navigating company-wide trade-offs?

Neither path is “better.” But they are very different.

In the IC track, you progress from Senior PMM → Lead PMM → Principal PMM (or even into consulting or advisory work). You continue to do the work you love, but at a higher level, owning larger initiatives, mentoring others informally, and becoming a go-to expert in your company.

In the management track, you might go from Senior PMM → Director → VP. Your job shifts from execution to people management. It’s worth noting the best managers aren’t necessarily the best PMMs. They’re the ones who are great at developing others and driving org-wide alignment. It’s a challenging but very fulfilling career path.

Here’s a look at how we structured these two career paths when I was leading the team at Unbounce.

Once someone reached the P3 level, they often needed to make a decision between continuing onto P4 and P5 on the IC track or pivoting into an M1/M2 role on the management track.

Some people thrive in the transition from IC to leadership. They love building teams, coaching, and shaping company-wide strategy. Others get into management and realize they miss the craft of PMM. They feel disconnected from the work that made them love product marketing in the first place.

The good news? You can always pivot.

There’s this unspoken pressure that once you move into management, you can’t go back. That stepping down from a leadership role is somehow a failure.

But that’s not true.

Some of the best PMMs I know have gone from Director back to IC, realizing they wanted to spend more time on the work, not on managing people. Others have experimented with both paths — moving into a Principal PMM role, then shifting to consulting, and then moving into a management role in house.

I’ve made shifts myself. I moved from my Chief Strategy Role at Unbounce to a VP PMM role at Kajabi because I missed being immersed in product marketing every day. I was too disconnected at the C-level.

What I’ve learned is this: success isn’t about climbing a specific ladder. It’s about choosing the path that fits your skills, goals, and lifestyle best.

Which Path is Right for You?

If you’re feeling stuck at a career crossroads, ask yourself:

• Do I want to become an expert or build and develop a team?

• Do I get energy from doing the work or coaching others to do the work?

• Am I comfortable letting go of execution in exchange for broader influence?

• Do I want to be responsible for people management, career growth, and team development?

There’s no right or wrong answer — just the answer that’s right for you.

And, remember:

• Management isn’t just a promotion. It’s a different job.

• The IC path is just as valuable as the management path.

• You can always pivot if you realize a role isn’t the right fit.

Instead of asking “what’s next?” in your career, start asking “what’s right for me?”

CAMPER ESSENTIALS

📚 Reading List: If you’re unsure of your own secret sauce, I put together a personal positioning mini course to help you get clarity on where you want to take your career. Join for free!

🛠️ Tools: Are you an analyst, diplomat, sentinel or explorer? Knowing your Myers Briggs personality type might help you understand where you can excel in your role. Take the test for free at 16 Personalities (I’m an INTJ with ENTJ tendencies).

Until next week,