Attend our AGM on June 18th and cast your vote for our new board! More info here (PDF)
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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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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!
Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) is a community focused on development, growth and networking of Product professionals in the Greater Toronto Area.
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