How to build the product marketing career YOU want

In the past two issues (issue 1, issue 2), we dug into exactly how to get promoted in product marketing, so if you’re clear that moving up is what you want, those articles are a great place to start.

But what if you’re not sure?

What if you’re questioning whether promotion is even the right path for you? 

Or maybe you’re still figuring out if product marketing is where you want to stay. 

Maybe you’re just getting started and haven't even landed your first PMM role yet.

If that’s where you’re at, this issue is for you.

Today, we’re shifting the focus to something equally important (and often overlooked):

How do you actually figure out what kind of product marketing career you want to build?

We’re going to walk through:

• The many alternative paths to growth beyond traditional promotion

• A simple framework to help you design a career that fits you now, not just who you used to be

• And practical steps to move forward, even if you’re feeling stuck or unclear

Let’s get into it.

Promotion is not the only way to grow (in your product marketing career)

A few years ago, I was offered a VP of Product Marketing role: $70K more in base salary, a shiny new title, and a clear step up the ladder.

And I turned it down.

Why? Because I realized... I didn’t actually want to be a VP.

At the time, I was a Director of PMM, and on paper, the next step was obvious: bigger title, bigger paycheck, more prestige. But when I honestly assessed what the role entailed, i.e. the nonstop stress, the constant executive politics, I knew it wasn’t the right path for me.

What I really wanted was freedom. Space to breathe. Control over my time. And the chance to build something that was fully mine, where I could coach, advise, and create from a place of meaning.

So I made a different kind of move: 

I stepped off the ladder entirely.

Because I don’t think career growth is a ladder.

It’s a loop.

A loop that cycles through learning, growth, mastery, harvest, and reinvention.  

And when I walked away from the traditional path, I wasn’t going backwards. I was starting a new loop, bringing all my experience with me.

And this wasn’t the first time I’d done that.

Earlier in my career, I was a civil engineering analyst in a consulting firm. That loop ended when I realized I didn’t want to do that forever, and I took the leap of faith to start from scratch in tech. 

Later, I burned out in PMM and became an artist (yep, I learned what “starving artist” really means). 

And eventually, I came back into tech, stronger and clearer, by building my coaching business, and having my fractional consulting work grow alongside it.

So, I want you to know this:

You don’t have to stay on one track just because it’s what you’re “supposed” to do.

We’re living in a time where so many paths are open. You don’t need another certification. You don’t need permission. You just need to get honest about what you want, and be willing to experiment your way into it.

I’ve seen people make all kinds of courageous moves:

• My friend Brian went from insurance adjuster → customer success → product marketer → strategy lead at JPMorgan.

• My client Robin, a music teacher with FIVE young kids (under 10!), who broke into product marketing and started her new job last week.

Other clients have gone freelance, started agencies, pivoted into ops, content, biz strategy - you name it.

In fact, here are  some common alternative paths you can take instead of aiming for a promotion: 

It’s all possible.

But the real question is: What’s right for you?

That’s where most people get stuck. Not because they’re lost. But because they’ve never had the space to ask what they actually want. Or what success looks like now, not 10 years ago.

So in the next section, I’ll share how to start designing your next loop. A career that fits you, not someone else’s idea of success.

Let’s get into it.

How to figure out your career path & take action

As someone with ADHD, it’s incredibly hard for me to get clarity.

I always want to do 10 things at once. I overthink. I spiral.

For years, I felt stuck in indecision because I was waiting to figure out the perfect next step before taking any action.

But the biggest transformation in my career happened when I learned about design thinking.

Instead of trying to solve for a perfect, linear answer, design thinking taught me to form a hypothesis, test it fast, and then take the next small step. It’s iterative, bite-sized, and rooted in actual lived experience, not fantasy.

This is the exact framework I now use to help clients (and myself) navigate nonlinear, purpose-driven career loops.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Write Your Future Vision Story

Not the kind of story that’s about your title, salary, or LinkedIn headline.

I’m talking about your life, 2 years from now. What does it feel like?

• What are you doing during the day?

• Who are you spending time with?

• How many hours are you working?

• What’s your energy like when you wake up?

• What would make you feel calm, proud, and alive?

When I first did this, it was in a workshop with my friend/mentor Keiko, four years ago. I wrote about coaching people I love, empowering others to figure out their own path, traveling, spending time with my family, and not having to answer to anyone.

It felt far away at the time, but writing it down gave me the courage to walk away from a path that wasn’t serving me. That story became my anchor.

This is the first thing I ask my Thrive leadership clients to do, too. It cuts through the noise and brings you back to you.

Step 2: Brainstorm 2–3 different paths that could get you there

There’s never just one way to reach your vision.

In Designing Your Life, this is called Odyssey Planning, and I love that because it gives you permission to explore. So many of us get stuck thinking there's one “correct” path.

Instead, sketch out a few different ideas. For example:

• What if you stayed in your role but shifted focus to something you care more about (like mental health, sustainability, or accessibility)?

• What if you went freelance for 6 months to test consulting?

• What if you pitched a new role internally that’s more aligned with your superpowers?

Even if the ideas feel wild or incomplete, it’s okay. You’re not choosing yet. You’re just seeing what’s possible.

Step 3: Choose 1 path to prototype and take action

Once you have a few paths laid out, pick the path that gives you the most energy  - not the "most correct" one or the one that looks good on paper, but the one that feels most alive to you.

Then test it with the smallest possible real action:

• Have a conversation with someone already doing it

• Shadow a friend or colleague in that space

• Ask your manager to let you try something new

• Apply for a job you're curious about

• Create a workshop around that idea

Once you take the first small step, you can use anything you learned to then guide the next step forward. 

This is how I help clients design their own courageous career path - not by overthinking, but by doing small things on purpose, iterating and building momentum over time.

If this framework resonates, here’s my invitation:

What would it feel like to stop overthinking and start taking clear, confident steps - with a guide by your side?

My Thrive leadership coaching program isn’t just about getting promoted. It’s built for moments like this, when you’re ambitious, but stuck. When you know there’s something more, but need clarity, courage, and a path forward.

If you’re ready to move with purpose, reach out. I’d love to support you.

That’s all for now! See you next time. 

Yi Lin