Leading Through Change: My Journey with the TPMA

When Lee Garrison invited me to join the Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) board, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t anticipate becoming President & Chair at our first board meeting. The journey that followed was filled with unexpected challenges, growth, and triumphs. Now, as my term has come to an end, I can reflect on the experiences over the last three years.

Building on a Legacy

The TPMA was born from the enthusiasm and initiative of Alan Armstrong. When Alan, Prasing Ga, and Paul Chen founded the TPMA in 2001, it started as a small group of PMs in office basements talking about the challenges of the role. For over 20 years, dedicated individuals like Alan and Lee Garrison nurtured its growth, establishing monthly events, Product Camps, and a robust mentorship community. 

The field of product management has significantly transformed since those early days: awareness has increased, the functions and responsibilities have evolved, and the number of product people in Toronto has grown tremendously.  However, while the career landscape has changed, a strong community remains vital for connection and growth. As I stepped into my role of President & Chair, I was excited to steer us into a new chapter of what TPMA could become!

The Early Days: Navigating Uncharted Waters

Joining the board in June 2021 amid ongoing lockdowns posed unique challenges. We were all (still) figuring out how to balance life and work in a virtual environment that seemed never-ending. The association grappled with the competition for our member’s time with virtual events worldwide. Our differentiation became muddled. 

I vividly recall in our early days, fellow newly elected director Shawn Omstead and I brainstorming ideas for the TPMA's next phase. We were filled with enthusiasm, ambition and possibilities. One thing was clear: we wanted to let more people in on the secret—the gem that is this community. 

But with some unplanned departures from the board and the challenges of 2021, we were in "keeping the lights on" mode. Before we could act on big ideas, we needed to address our biggest operational challenge: people power. I was grateful to my fellow board members (Nathan Nemirovski, Rhythem Raswant, Reena Castelino) who shared their knowledge and, of course, to Lee, who not only provided guidance whenever we needed it, but returned to provide an extra pair of hands until we recruited Heidi Ram and Adam Aronson, and soon after Victor Skrylev.

A New Brand Emerges

In my second year, a hybrid world was emerging, and our board was energized with new faces. Painting a lofty vision for the next chapter, the board set ambitious goals: 

  • Modernize our brand and roll out the new website, part of our strategies around enhancing awareness and reach.
  • Establish a permanent free membership tier, maintaining a low barrier to join and get value from the community
  • Test new programs, assessing engagement and scalability
  • Devise new sponsorship strategies and secure sponsors
  • Reignite in-person events while maintaining virtual options
  • And update our bylaws to comply with new Ontario regulations for not-for-profits. 

All with no paid staff - only volunteers.

Thankfully, our vision, mission, and goals resonated. Our volunteer community grew under the leadership of our community manager Razib Ahmed. I’m amazed and proud of what we accomplished with 27 volunteers (including the board). We checked off those goals while growing our community by 270% from June 2022 to June 2023

The TPMA was entering a new phase, and our community could sense it too. We had over 22 nominations for four director positions that year. After a competitive election Andrew Williams, Stacey Feero, Razib Ahmed and Rhythem Raswant were elected. We also said a big thank you to Nathan for his work on the board as his term ended.

Sold out in-person events

Keeping the Momentum

Offering the free membership tier was an important decision. Removing the barrier to entry would help us share the value of the community with many more people. However, we knew the revenue from paid memberships would need to be recouped, especially with our operating costs increasing due to matters beyond our control. Fortunately, we had room to solve this challenge thanks to years of prudent financial management and a healthy reserve fund. And thanks to new financial sponsors, Lightster, Product Faculty, and Riipen/Diverse Tech Tallent Program, and donation and pricing experiments, we ended the year close to break even. Plus with a list of additional strategies and tactics that will enable the team to fund additional programs and drive more member value.

Ultimately, 2023/24 was a successful year. In addition to our financial wins:

  • Our member base grew by 83%. 
  • Our new community managers Barbara Szreder and Edwar Dommar nearly doubled (90%) our volunteer community to 38 volunteers (excluding the board).
  • We ran 13 events, with in-person event tickets selling out several times.
  • Our mentorship program paired over 100 pairs, limited only by available mentors. (If you’re an experienced PM or product leader, we need you. Mentoring is a great way to give back to the community and expand on your skills)
  • We launched new workshops with an outstanding response.
  • Our members facilitated an AI community of Practice group, organizing multiple events supported by the association
  • And we announced the long-awaited Alan Armstrong Bursary, aimed at creating opportunities for TPMA community members to further their careers in product management through education. 

At our AGM in June, as my term with the board ended, I couldn’t help but take in the buzz of the room; the energy of our community. The election this year is no doubt a sign of great things to come. From an outstanding list of candidates, our members elected Care Fader, Barbara Szreder and Aaron Mohammed to join the board. Amazing additions to our returning team. I can’t wait to see how their fresh perspectives and dedication will drive the TPMA forward. 

TPMA Holiday Social 2023

My Reflections

  1. Embrace Change: Adapting to new circumstances is key. The pandemic shook things up, forcing us to rethink how we operate and connect with our community. As we emerged, we realized that some old-school tactics (like face-to-face networking) are more valuable than ever.
  2. Operational Foundations Matter: In my first year, I would have loved to charge ahead with grand plans. But laying a solid foundation and tackling operational hurdles was just as, if not more, crucial.
  3. Community is Key: Building and nurturing a strong volunteer base can lead to amazing things, even when resources are tight and paychecks are absent. 
  4. Leadership and Collaboration: Effective leadership means casting a vision and empowering others. Working with a diverse board and our volunteers was essential. Their ideas and dedication got us over the finish line.
  5. Evolving an Organization is Like Product Management: Prioritizing, cutting scope, and validating value are crucial. Just like developing a product, it’s critical to focus on what truly matters, trim the excess, and ensure that every effort delivers tangible results.
  6. Resilience and Persistence: Navigating challenges and setbacks is part of the journey. Our grit and determination kept us moving forward and ultimately helped us achieve our goals.

Leading the TPMA through these transformative years has been a rewarding experience. I’m grateful for the opportunity and time working with the volunteer community and my fellow board members: Adam, Heidi, Victor, Andrew, Stacey, Razib, Rhythem, Nathan, Harman and Shawn.

Lee passed the torch on to us, and we carried it forward with pride. Now I’m excited to see what the future holds for this incredible community. Here’s to the next chapter!

What you get as a TPMA Member

Mentorship program and in-person event experiences are at an extra cost.

Join for free!
  • Join the TPMA Slack Community with 1000+ members

  • Free Virtual TPMA events for the entire TPMA Season

  • Become the first to know about in-person events and networking opportunities

Leading Through Change: My Journey with the TPMA

July 25, 2024

When Lee Garrison invited me to join the Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) board, I didn’t know what to expect. I certainly didn’t anticipate becoming President & Chair at our first board meeting. The journey that followed was filled with unexpected challenges, growth, and triumphs. Now, as my term has come to an end, I can reflect on the experiences over the last three years.

Building on a Legacy

The TPMA was born from the enthusiasm and initiative of Alan Armstrong. When Alan, Prasing Ga, and Paul Chen founded the TPMA in 2001, it started as a small group of PMs in office basements talking about the challenges of the role. For over 20 years, dedicated individuals like Alan and Lee Garrison nurtured its growth, establishing monthly events, Product Camps, and a robust mentorship community. 

The field of product management has significantly transformed since those early days: awareness has increased, the functions and responsibilities have evolved, and the number of product people in Toronto has grown tremendously.  However, while the career landscape has changed, a strong community remains vital for connection and growth. As I stepped into my role of President & Chair, I was excited to steer us into a new chapter of what TPMA could become!

The Early Days: Navigating Uncharted Waters

Joining the board in June 2021 amid ongoing lockdowns posed unique challenges. We were all (still) figuring out how to balance life and work in a virtual environment that seemed never-ending. The association grappled with the competition for our member’s time with virtual events worldwide. Our differentiation became muddled. 

I vividly recall in our early days, fellow newly elected director Shawn Omstead and I brainstorming ideas for the TPMA's next phase. We were filled with enthusiasm, ambition and possibilities. One thing was clear: we wanted to let more people in on the secret—the gem that is this community. 

But with some unplanned departures from the board and the challenges of 2021, we were in "keeping the lights on" mode. Before we could act on big ideas, we needed to address our biggest operational challenge: people power. I was grateful to my fellow board members (Nathan Nemirovski, Rhythem Raswant, Reena Castelino) who shared their knowledge and, of course, to Lee, who not only provided guidance whenever we needed it, but returned to provide an extra pair of hands until we recruited Heidi Ram and Adam Aronson, and soon after Victor Skrylev.

A New Brand Emerges

In my second year, a hybrid world was emerging, and our board was energized with new faces. Painting a lofty vision for the next chapter, the board set ambitious goals: 

All with no paid staff - only volunteers.

Thankfully, our vision, mission, and goals resonated. Our volunteer community grew under the leadership of our community manager Razib Ahmed. I’m amazed and proud of what we accomplished with 27 volunteers (including the board). We checked off those goals while growing our community by 270% from June 2022 to June 2023

The TPMA was entering a new phase, and our community could sense it too. We had over 22 nominations for four director positions that year. After a competitive election Andrew Williams, Stacey Feero, Razib Ahmed and Rhythem Raswant were elected. We also said a big thank you to Nathan for his work on the board as his term ended.

Sold out in-person events

Keeping the Momentum

Offering the free membership tier was an important decision. Removing the barrier to entry would help us share the value of the community with many more people. However, we knew the revenue from paid memberships would need to be recouped, especially with our operating costs increasing due to matters beyond our control. Fortunately, we had room to solve this challenge thanks to years of prudent financial management and a healthy reserve fund. And thanks to new financial sponsors, Lightster, Product Faculty, and Riipen/Diverse Tech Tallent Program, and donation and pricing experiments, we ended the year close to break even. Plus with a list of additional strategies and tactics that will enable the team to fund additional programs and drive more member value.

Ultimately, 2023/24 was a successful year. In addition to our financial wins:

At our AGM in June, as my term with the board ended, I couldn’t help but take in the buzz of the room; the energy of our community. The election this year is no doubt a sign of great things to come. From an outstanding list of candidates, our members elected Care Fader, Barbara Szreder and Aaron Mohammed to join the board. Amazing additions to our returning team. I can’t wait to see how their fresh perspectives and dedication will drive the TPMA forward. 

TPMA Holiday Social 2023

My Reflections

  1. Embrace Change: Adapting to new circumstances is key. The pandemic shook things up, forcing us to rethink how we operate and connect with our community. As we emerged, we realized that some old-school tactics (like face-to-face networking) are more valuable than ever.
  2. Operational Foundations Matter: In my first year, I would have loved to charge ahead with grand plans. But laying a solid foundation and tackling operational hurdles was just as, if not more, crucial.
  3. Community is Key: Building and nurturing a strong volunteer base can lead to amazing things, even when resources are tight and paychecks are absent. 
  4. Leadership and Collaboration: Effective leadership means casting a vision and empowering others. Working with a diverse board and our volunteers was essential. Their ideas and dedication got us over the finish line.
  5. Evolving an Organization is Like Product Management: Prioritizing, cutting scope, and validating value are crucial. Just like developing a product, it’s critical to focus on what truly matters, trim the excess, and ensure that every effort delivers tangible results.
  6. Resilience and Persistence: Navigating challenges and setbacks is part of the journey. Our grit and determination kept us moving forward and ultimately helped us achieve our goals.

Leading the TPMA through these transformative years has been a rewarding experience. I’m grateful for the opportunity and time working with the volunteer community and my fellow board members: Adam, Heidi, Victor, Andrew, Stacey, Razib, Rhythem, Nathan, Harman and Shawn.

Lee passed the torch on to us, and we carried it forward with pride. Now I’m excited to see what the future holds for this incredible community. Here’s to the next chapter!