Office Hours: I’m Surbhi Gupta, product builder and coach with 19+ years of experience scaling startups and driving innovation at large tech companies. AMA!Featured

Posted in:Product Office Hours Management and Leadership Startups

Hi Elphas!

I’m Surbhi Gupta, a catalyst for teams to build exceptional products, I bring nearly two decades of experience across B2B2C and consumer tech, from scaling startups to driving innovation at large tech companies. My career includes a wide range of domains, including subscription commerce, cloud monetization, finance, telecom, autonomous vehicles, and social media. My passion for sharing knowledge led me to author a book for product managers, currently writing is in progress with a leading publisher.

I've had the privilege of contributing to the success stories of renowned companies including Zoox, Facebook, Tesla, Intuit, Oracle, and dynamic early and mid-stage startups.

My background includes hosting a radio show, teaching at Product School, and guest lecturing at NYU Stern for a Tech MBA program. My work has been featured in major publications like Forbes.

My global exposure through living and working in various countries (Australia, South Korea, Canada, India, Dominican Republic) and managing cross-functional teams in Europe and the Middle East has helped me build products that meet the needs of diverse users.

During my downtime, I enjoy listening to podcasts, volunteering, and gardening.

Ask me anything about:

Landing Your Dream PM Role: Interview prep, career transitions, showcasing impact
Positioning your work for Einstein Eb1-A Visa: Demonstrating extraordinary ability as a PM
Product Leadership: Innovation, strategy, team building, scaling products
Designing User-Centric Products: Prioritizing user needs, creating delightful experiences
Communication & Influence: Presenting your work persuasively to stakeholders

...or any other PM or EB-1A related questions you have!

ElphaStaff·Aug 12

Thanks so much for joining us @surbhi4!Elphas – please ask @surbhi4 your questions before Friday, August 16th. @surbhi4 may not have time to answer every questions, so emoji upvote your favorites 🔥👍🏾➕

chelmcmahon·Aug 12

Hey Surbhi! Impressive background, and appreciate for your willingness to answer some questions. Did you go from Tesla straight to Zoox, and which team or role did you have at Tesla? What part of your experience from big tech (like Facebook, Intuit and Oracle) was most appealing to the AV companies in your interview/networking process, and what inspired you to make the switch? Do you have a software engineering background, or was that expected of you for the AV companies?Thank you so much, and keep up that awesome trajectory!

surbhi4·Aug 18

Hey @chelmcmahon,Thanks for the question! I made the move from Tesla to Meta, and yes, having a software engineering background was definitely helpful. My experience in the auto industry is certainly a plus, but the impact depends on the specific role you're targeting within the AV (Autonomous Vehicle) space. There's a wide range of roles, from consumer-focused positions to those heavily involved in the core autonomy tech, or even roles building the physical product itself.

lisamendez·Aug 14

Thank you for sharing your experience and expertise,Surhbi. I'm inspired by all your accomplishments. How do you approach getting buy in from a manager who is not receptive?

karijatunadjiru·Aug 14

Hello @surbhi4 You have such dynamic and powerful experience. I have been working as a PM for close to 5 years, across digital banking (Fintech) and Renewable energy, and I am looking to increase my global exposure and work on products outside of my existing market.1. As someone whose domain experience spans various industries, what has been the biggest benefit of having multiple areas of Domain expertise?2.What strategies did you put in place to land international roles? What's the key to positioning your self to work in different markets? how have the international experiences enriched your PM career?

Iynna·Aug 12

What a powerhouse you are! Thank you for sharing a bit of you this week with us, Surbhi! I have a ton of questions for you but first what has made you live in all these different places? And any big (or small) life lessons you drew from them? Second how did you get yout gig as a professor at NYU? Were you an adjunct or more like a one-off guest speaker? Third, I heard about the Product School a number of times and was curious what your experience was with them? is it a good programme for people who want to be in Product and are there others you recommend people do? Lastly, we have so many Elphas who want to work in PM so I am sure your office hours will be very relevant for them.

surbhi4·Aug 18

Thanks @iynna :)I've always had an insatiable desire to explore the world, and early in my life, I made significant choices to prioritize travel. It was an incredible experience, and I learned a lot. One key lesson was discovering my preference for a more stable life, so those adventurous days of constant travel are behind me now.NYU Stern and Product School:I was fortunate to be invited to the NYU Stern as I was an alumni. As for product school, I think it's a decent option, but the value really hinges on your background and goals.Happy to help, but context is key! If you're looking to break into the tech world, focusing on PM interview prep and targeting fresh grad roles at big tech companies could be a fantastic strategy. However, it really depends on your backgroundAnd for last, I'm happy to organize a YouTube live talk if it would benefit the broader community. Let me know if there's interest, and we can make it happen!

Iynna·Aug 21

Thank you so much for your thorough answer! And for the vulnerability especially when it comes to wanting to be more settled :) As per your offer: I'd absolutely love to have a live Elpha session with you as our guest on the topic, and then we can open it to the public/anyone you want to!I'll get your email from Josefina and follow up there to suss details out :) thank you so much!

tiffanyyhchang·Aug 12

Hi Surbhi, you've had an accomplished career thus far, and thank you for sharing your time with us this week! What are your recommendations for discovering mid-stage startups that may be more under-the-radar? Are there particular job boards that you've had success with using? Wish you success with writing and publishing your book.

surbhi4·Aug 18

Thanks a lot @tiffanychang! Try this - https://wellfound.com/ It has good startup jobs.

elnglr·Aug 12

Hey @surbhi4 , thanks a lot for sharing your experiences with us! I was going to start a thread about landing a role in PM space but luckily saw this AMA session! As someone in her early career, I have been working at an early stage AI company for more than a year, and due to the ratio between my effort/what I'm paid makes me look for another opportunities. However, I can't even pass the resume screening process for the jobs I want to apply to because they all require at least 3+ years of work experience as a PM, even considering the junior positions. How can I stand out as a junior PM in my applications? Should I build a portfolio (even tho I'm not a UX-UI focused PM), should I get more technical, or get more job titles but a PM before my applications? Thanks a lot for your recommendations!

surbhi4·Aug 18

Here are two strategies to consider: AngelList/Wellfound is a goldmine for startups looking for PMs, even those with less experience. It's a great way to gain hands-on experience and build your network. Alternatively, rotational programs at big tech companies provide formal training and mentorship. While competitive, they offer a solid foundation with good salary.

madhuchavva·Aug 14

Hi @surbhi4, Thanks for taking time to answer our questions and What an amazing record of professional experience—truly inspiring!I'm curious to learn about your journey at Product school and how is it different offering mentorship? What areas or goals would you focus on at Product School?

protoyaz·Aug 12

Hello @surbhi4, thank you taking the time to do this for us! My question / area of concern is landing a role as a PM as a career switch. I have a background of customer success, retail, operations, and food service and I just completed my certification on UX Design. How should my resume be tailored or what should be highlighted to show hiring managers and recruiters that my lack of PM experience is not a determent for my ability to do the job? I haven’t had any luck getting interviews in 4 months :(

celinephua·Aug 13

What an amazing experience you have, Surhbi! I was curious to find out more about how it was like for you to ‘break’ into the various industries given some of them require specific domain knowledge like AVs or finance? I’m still early stage career, but there’s always that question of depth vs breadth, especially if a certain industry prioritizes domain knowledge over your PM background. Also, specifically regarding your experience at Zoox, what are some of the challenges you’ve faced building your products given the diverse range of stakeholders involved, ranging from policymakers to the general public?

surbhi4·Aug 18

Thank you Celine! Like many industries, AV companies offer a variety of roles with plenty of opportunities for internal mobility. When transitioning to this field, focus on leveraging your existing skills in a relevant area. Once you're established within the company, you can explore internal opportunities and make more strategic career moves as you gain experience.

mapbackwards·Aug 12

Thank you @surbhi4 for sharing your advice with us!I’ve been working in tech for 7 years and have been a product manager for 1 year. I’m hoping to get my next PM role in fintech. I’ve had a strong personal interest in finance but I don’t have formal professional experience. But is the best way to show that I can cut it in fintech? Is there anything you recommend learning or maybe a book or podcast that gives great insight into the finance world? Is there a better way to position myself to make recruiters/hiring managers want to interview me? Thank you so much!Also, for fellow Elphas, I did the 3 month Product School boot camp. It’s expensive but I really liked my instructor. I also did all of the assignments, went to every class and engaged as much as possible. I used my final project to work on a problem at my job where I was an account manager, showed my final presentation to 10 people (including several PMs) to help me improve it, then presented to the CTO and head of product. While I didn’t get a PM job at my company, they gave me 3 volunteer projects with the Product team that I could put on my resume and discuss in product interviews. I also got a product coach who helped prepare me for applications and interviews. I ended up getting 10 interviews and 3 offers so it’s possible to make the switch!

surbhi4·Aug 18

Congratulations on your first year as a PM and your drive to transition into fintech!Here's the thing: you need a clear and compelling answer to the question, "Why fintech?" What sparks your curiosity? What problems are you itching to solve? This genuine passion will shine through in your conversations and applications.Next, find your niche. Fintech is broad, so focus on an area that aligns with your skills and interests. It could be anything from payments to blockchain ..Then get those leranings out there! Share your insights on LinkedIn, leveraging their "Top Voice" program. Write some blog posts, and maybe even pitch articles to industry publications. Once you've built some credibility, think about guesting on podcasts or even starting your own. This is a fantastic way to network and build relationships with key people in fintech. I'd be happy to help you navigate industry publications process!Also Connect with folks in fintech on LinkedIn, attend industry events.Lastly, tailor your resume Highlight all above projects.Some Podcasts:a16z PodcastAcquiredInvest Like the Best

mapbackwards·Aug 19

Thank you for this incredible advice, @surbhi4! I so appreciate how actionable this is and I’m looking forward to following it! Would love to keep you posted on how things go. (Note: I showed this to my older sister and she said “This is spot on” 😊)

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