Hard Truths About Product Management at Startups | Amaraj Judge (Hims, Noom, ZipRecruiter)

Описание: In this episode of the Product Grind podcast, host Zakir Tyebjee sits down with Amaraj Judge, a Growth PM turned Founder. He started his career as a software engineer at Microsoft, before transitioning to PM at high-growth startups like ZipRecruiter, Noom, and Hims. He recently left his last job as the first PM at an early stage healthcare startup to start building his own company.

This conversation is an engaging back-and-forth between two good friends, where they get into the uncomfortable truths of the PM role, the emotional weight of decision-making, and where AI fits (and doesn’t) in today’s PM job market.

About Amaraj:   / amarajjudge  

Topics:
• What product management really tests beyond frameworks and execution
• Why judgment, decision-making, and emotional regulation matter more as you grow
• The transition from engineering to product, including why the shift is harder than most people expect
• What it actually means to be the first PM at a startup and why that role is often misunderstood
• How to think about growth as connecting users to core product value rather than chasing metrics
• Where AI fits into modern product management and what it means to be an "AI-enabled PM"
• Common misconceptions about PM careers, why many PMs struggle early, and what experience and reps teach you over time

Timestamps:
00:00 Teaser
00:21 Transitioning from Software Engineer to PM
08:21 Learning Product Across Different Startup Stages
14:57 Defining an AI PM
21:02 PM Specialists vs. Generalists
27:07 Defining a Growth PM
35:04 Challenges of Being the First PM at a Startup
41:04 Launching a Newsletter & Engaging Your Audience
47:18 Perspectives on the Job Market
51:55 Job Search Advice for Early Career PMs
56:13 Final Tip

About the Podcast:
Product Grind is a podcast where Zakir sits down with experienced PMs, founders, and operators for raw, unfiltered conversations about the realities of product careers - the stuck points, the breakthroughs, the mindset shifts, and the strategies that drive long-term growth. New episodes every two weeks.

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👋 Get in Touch:   / zakirtyebjee  
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