# 21 - Breaking Into Product: Different Paths to PM

# 21 - Breaking Into Product: Different Paths to PM

Do you need the perfect internship to break into product? Before becoming a Product Manager at Shopee, Jireh built experience across HR, operations, and management roles that didn’t seem directly related to PM at first. In this episode, we explore transferable skills, early career uncertainty, and how students can break into product without following a traditional path. Originally published on 26 May 2026 ft. Jireh Tan

#20 - Product Career Pivots: From PM to UX Design

Product careers are rarely linear. From shaping NUS Product Club’s early branding efforts to exploring product roles before becoming a UX Designer at GovTech, Jing Xuan shares how creativity and product thinking can evolve across different roles. In this episode, we explore transitioning between PM and UX, breaking in as a non-technical student, and why curiosity matters more than choosing one path too early. Originally published on 19 May 2026 ft. Lam Jing Xuan

#19 - Digital Product Leadership: Shipping Systems, Not Features

What does product management look like when you’re building for 25+ markets instead of a single app? Andrea shares why great PMs don’t just ship features, they build scalable systems that guide entire organisations. In this episode, he breaks down what aspiring PMs should focus on, from field-first discovery to what hiring managers look for, and how the role grows from building products to shaping how companies build. Originally published on 26 December 2025 ft. Andrea Cervellin

#18 - Hardware Product Management: Turning Designs Into Devices

Software can be iterated with a click, but not hardware. Adhiraj reveals how product management changes when the product you build sits in someone’s home, not just on a screen. In this episode, we explore what it means to build physical products end-to-end, from working with factories, to navigating design and manufacturing constraints. If you’ve only seen PM through a software lens, this conversation reveals a completely different side of the industry. Originally published on 19 December 2025 ft. Adhiraj Mahajan

#17 - Student Entrepreneurship: Balancing PM, Startups & Leadership

Can students really break into PM, lead teams, and build startups at the same time? Jack and Yi Hao show how it’s done. From running OpenMentor.AI and GamifiEd respectively to spearheading NUS Product Club, they share how student builders experiment fast, validate ideas without large resources, and gain credibility in the market as young founders. Originally published on 12 December 2025 ft. Chen Lexin and Choi Yi Hao