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The journey into product management is seldom straightforward and often involves overcoming numerous challenges and seizing unexpected opportunities.
Luke Alexander's path is a testament to the power of perseverance and strategic networking in shaping a successful career. In this interview, Luke shares his experiences, insights, and advice for aspiring Product Managers.
As a Product Manager at Fivetran, Luke leads product strategy and execution for marketing connectors. He is also an expert in e-commerce and martech with over 5 years of experience building products for large B2C and B2B businesses and marketplace sellers.
Describe your journey into Product Management.
I started my career as a Business Analyst at a digital agency, where I was deeply involved in implementing and optimizing e-commerce websites for large B2B and B2C brands. While I enjoyed collaborating closely with Designers and Engineers to build solutions, I felt limited by the constraints of working according to the client's specifications. They ultimately had the final say, and I yearned for a role where I could have more influence over the strategic direction and roadmap of the products, based on customer insights rather than just fulfilling stakeholder demands.
This desire led me to discover Product Management - a field that seemed to align perfectly with my aspirations. After reflecting on what drove me, researching roles, and talking to people in my network, an unexpected opportunity arose. It took me eight months to land my first Product role. When I decided to resign from my agency role for a Product Owner position at a startup, my boss and the COO made a compelling case for me to stay. They offered me a new role on an emerging product team, I had one interview with the new VP of Product, and I was in - effectively launching my career in product management.
What are you working on right now, and what does product management look like in your organization?
Currently, I'm a Product Manager at Fivetran, where I lead the strategy and execution for our marketing connectors. Our product simplifies data movement from a variety of source systems like SaaS tools or databases to destinations such as data warehouses or lakes. I manage over 140 connectors, for platforms like Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, Marketo, and Pendo. My customers are mostly data engineers and data analysts working in SMBs and enterprise companies. Our customers use our product to power their most important analytical, operational, and AI use cases.
A typical day for me involves meeting with customers to better understand their data needs, which helps me refine my product intuition. I also collaborate extensively with diverse teams—including designers, product marketers, user experience researchers, product analysts, technical writers, and data scientists—to ensure we exceed our customers' expectations.
What advice do you have for others on a journey to becoming a PM?
Landing your first PM role is challenging. I often refer back to Shreyas Doshi's definition of high agency as a PM. A core tenet of that is resiliency, which has been crucial in my career. Be persistent - It's a competitive role, but continuous effort can eventually land you a role.
Networking with PMs is also critical. It's a long game, but building close peer relationships can pay off long term. I got my current role after an informal catch-up with a former colleague, highlighting how valuable these connections can be.
Ask about an internal transfer if your current company has a Product team. This route can sometimes be simpler than landing a PM role externally, as it was for me. You can also consider joining a startup in a PM-adjacent role to transition later, as things move quickly at startups.
Luke Alexander's journey into Product Management underscores the importance of resilience, strategic networking, and seizing opportunities as they arise. His experiences highlight the value of internal mobility and the benefits of building strong relationships within the industry. For those aspiring to transition into Product Management, Luke’s story serves as both inspiration and a practical guide.
Have comments or questions?
Feel free to reach out to Luke Alexander here
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The journey into product management is seldom straightforward and often involves overcoming numerous challenges and seizing unexpected opportunities.
Luke Alexander's path is a testament to the power of perseverance and strategic networking in shaping a successful career. In this interview, Luke shares his experiences, insights, and advice for aspiring Product Managers.
As a Product Manager at Fivetran, Luke leads product strategy and execution for marketing connectors. He is also an expert in e-commerce and martech with over 5 years of experience building products for large B2C and B2B businesses and marketplace sellers.
Describe your journey into Product Management.
I started my career as a Business Analyst at a digital agency, where I was deeply involved in implementing and optimizing e-commerce websites for large B2B and B2C brands. While I enjoyed collaborating closely with Designers and Engineers to build solutions, I felt limited by the constraints of working according to the client's specifications. They ultimately had the final say, and I yearned for a role where I could have more influence over the strategic direction and roadmap of the products, based on customer insights rather than just fulfilling stakeholder demands.
This desire led me to discover Product Management - a field that seemed to align perfectly with my aspirations. After reflecting on what drove me, researching roles, and talking to people in my network, an unexpected opportunity arose. It took me eight months to land my first Product role. When I decided to resign from my agency role for a Product Owner position at a startup, my boss and the COO made a compelling case for me to stay. They offered me a new role on an emerging product team, I had one interview with the new VP of Product, and I was in - effectively launching my career in product management.
What are you working on right now, and what does product management look like in your organization?
Currently, I'm a Product Manager at Fivetran, where I lead the strategy and execution for our marketing connectors. Our product simplifies data movement from a variety of source systems like SaaS tools or databases to destinations such as data warehouses or lakes. I manage over 140 connectors, for platforms like Facebook Ads, Google Analytics, Marketo, and Pendo. My customers are mostly data engineers and data analysts working in SMBs and enterprise companies. Our customers use our product to power their most important analytical, operational, and AI use cases.
A typical day for me involves meeting with customers to better understand their data needs, which helps me refine my product intuition. I also collaborate extensively with diverse teams—including designers, product marketers, user experience researchers, product analysts, technical writers, and data scientists—to ensure we exceed our customers' expectations.
What advice do you have for others on a journey to becoming a PM?
Landing your first PM role is challenging. I often refer back to Shreyas Doshi's definition of high agency as a PM. A core tenet of that is resiliency, which has been crucial in my career. Be persistent - It's a competitive role, but continuous effort can eventually land you a role.
Networking with PMs is also critical. It's a long game, but building close peer relationships can pay off long term. I got my current role after an informal catch-up with a former colleague, highlighting how valuable these connections can be.
Ask about an internal transfer if your current company has a Product team. This route can sometimes be simpler than landing a PM role externally, as it was for me. You can also consider joining a startup in a PM-adjacent role to transition later, as things move quickly at startups.
Luke Alexander's journey into Product Management underscores the importance of resilience, strategic networking, and seizing opportunities as they arise. His experiences highlight the value of internal mobility and the benefits of building strong relationships within the industry. For those aspiring to transition into Product Management, Luke’s story serves as both inspiration and a practical guide.
Have comments or questions?
Feel free to reach out to Luke Alexander here
Toronto Product Management Association (TPMA) is a community focused on development, growth and networking of Product professionals in the Greater Toronto Area.
