Product managers spend their careers sitting at the intersection of business, technology, and design. They talk to customers, prioritise ruthlessly, and ship things that create value. On paper, this looks like perfect CEO training. In practice, the transition is far more nuanced than it appears.
At the first Gathering of The Product Consortium, Michiel Crommelinck drew on his own journey from product management to co-founding Headstart to unpack what actually changes when a PM steps into the top seat. The talk was not a motivational pitch about following your dreams. It was a clear-eyed look at the competencies that transfer, the ones that do not, and the uncomfortable adjustments required along the way.
For product managers who have ever wondered whether their next move is up the IC ladder, into VP-level leadership, or toward building something of their own, this talk offered a rare honest perspective from someone who has walked the path.
Original Presentation Slides
Download the slides from this talk as presented at the gathering.
