I’m happy to share my recent interview with Matt Sayar, Product Manager (PM) at Anomali. Matt is a Cyber PM that is currently in the trenches of the product world at a fast-growth vendor. I worked with Matt when he was at Splunk. I recently asked him about his career journey, topics like how he thinks AI will impact his role, and his advice for PMMs. I summarized our conversation below, and provided a few quotes from our discussion. Matt was kind enough to allow me to share this with you all, so enjoy!
Introduction and Background
Matt’s story begins with a childhood dream of making video games, a passion many can relate to. But as he grew up, he realized the gaming industry’s grind wasn’t for him. So, after getting a degree in Computer Science, he switched gears, diving into the world of software engineering at a defense contractor.
Later he entered the world of cybersecurity in the Identity and Access Management (IAM) domain, where he started to find his groove. He joined a security consulting firm and then worked as a security engineer in the insurance industry, and eventually found a PM role at Splunk focused on Splunk SOAR and Splunk Mission Control. This is where Matt and I first crossed paths as we worked together to bring products to market.
His path led him to a role where he gets to combine his love for tech with a knack for business strategy. It’s the classic tale of a tech enthusiast finding his place in the complex but exciting world of PM. His path highlights the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in navigating one’s career.
Matt’s career narrative exemplifies the essence of growth and transition, from hands-on technical roles to strategic product management. His journey through different facets of the tech industry, including software engineering and security consulting, has provided a comprehensive view of the sector, shaping his approach to PM. These transitions highlight the significance of embracing new challenges and continuously expanding one’s skill set.
Quotes:
- “After my time in software engineering, I went the complete opposite direction and got a job at a security consulting firm here in Colorado Springs, focused on Identity and Access Management (IAM). That was my first real security job where I really cut my teeth on proper CISSP security stuff.”
- “From there I went to a larger insurance company, and that was where I got to see how a whole organization works, not just the technical side.”
The Role of a Product Manager
Matt explained how the day-to-day life of a PM involves a delicate balance of strategic planning, team collaboration, and effective communication. Managing a product requires overseeing various aspects, from coordinating with engineering teams to aligning with the broader company strategy. His daily schedule is a testament to the challenge of maintaining focus amidst a plethora of priorities and meetings, all while ensuring the product’s development and success.
Quotes:
- “There’s a lot of meetings, which I have to balance so I can get real work done… then from there I might have a stand-up with the engineering team to review progress.”
- “Being a PM is about balancing and making sure that you’re all working on something that isn’t stepping on anyone else’s toes, and you’re strategically aligned.”
- “PMs are constantly communicating with leadership to understand what they want to see done.”
The Impact of AI and Tools on Productivity
Discussing the transformative effect of AI and productivity tools, Matt shared how these technologies have enhanced the PM’s work, allowing for more efficient processes and focused strategic thinking. He values these tools for their ability to streamline initial drafting processes, thus enabling more time for refinement and thoughtful development. However, he warns of the potential pitfalls of over-reliance on technology, advocating for a balanced approach where AI complements rather than replaces human creativity.
Quotes:
- “I think we’re at a point now, where if you’re pretty familiar with these tools, you can kind of get a gauge of what people have produced with an AI tool.”
- “I’ve written a few Epics with it – I seed it with an idea, and then it spits out an epic with the template I give it. It’s generally pretty good, but it’s just rude to spend less time writing something than it would take someone to read it.”
- “AI is good for a first draft, and then as long as you curate it and enrich it and make it better before sending outputs I’m all for it.”
By the way, Matt is a big fan of this AI cartoon as “the gist” of his point on adding value to AI outputs before sharing and I couldn’t agree more.
Collaboration between PMM + PM
Reflecting on the synergy between Product Management and Product Marketing, Matt emphasizes the importance of collaboration in successfully bringing products to market. This partnership ensures that product strategies are effectively communicated and resonate with the target audience, thereby facilitating successful launches and sustained market presence. His experiences underline the critical role of cohesive teamwork between PMs and PMMs in achieving business objectives.
I also think that the advice from this post on Aligning with PM rings true based on my experience working with Matt for our joint .conf23 presentation.
Co-present on key forums
From the Aligning with PM post
Your strongest content will be done together. I remember an example of this from Splunk’s .conf23. I was a presenter for a session focused on a Splunk product. And right alongside me on stage was the PM (Matt). While I presented the market perspective to start the presentation, he presented views inside the product and went into depth with actual live demos. To be successful, we worked closely together to build a coherent message, practiced in person (this was possible because we both lived in Colorado), and ultimately nailed our presentation to 100+ users in Vegas. We also co-presented on a product launch webinar together. The point is to balance content workload across market context (from PMM) with technical “in the product” context (from PM) to make for amazing content. You will both win.
Quotes:
- “Working together when I was at Splunk, we had a dynamic where it’s the PM and PMM dynamic of giving a joint presentation to customers in the room. It’s one of the experiences that I like to draw upon when I think, alright, PM and PMM, what does ‘good’ look like?”
- “We were able to present that content together successfully because of preparation. We practiced. We worked together.”
Here is the video where Matt and I presented to a room full of Splunk customers at .conf23.
Advice for Cyber PMMs
Concluding with insights for Cyber PMMs, Matt underscores the importance of developing product knowledge and market awareness in crafting effective marketing strategies. He advocates for PMMs to engage deeply with the product, understanding its features and user benefits to effectively craft compelling marketing narratives. This intimate knowledge, coupled with market research, enables PMMs to anticipate customer needs and align product messaging accordingly.
Quotes:
- “Know the product as much as you can because if you can use the product and even give a good demo then you learn more about the customer experience through osmosis.”
- “Understanding what it is that’s cool about your product also gets prospects better content at the top of the funnel.”
- “You’ll know what needs to be created and what a customer needs to know when they want to delve in a little bit deeper.”
Stay tuned for future posts by subscribing to the newsletter on Substack or directly on the Cyber PMM website. You can also follow Cyber PMM or me on LinkedIn. Matt Sayar is also on LinkedIn here.
