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AMA: Quizlet Director of Product and Lifecycle Marketing, Caroline Walthall on Product Marketing Career Path

January 9 @ 9:00AM PT

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👋 Caroline Silverkorn

Hi all, my name is Caroline (Walthall) Silverkorn. 👋

💼 Job: Director of Product Marketing at Freed. Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet.

📍 Location: SF East Bay (Moraga, CA)

🍦 Favorite ice cream flavor: Matcha Doodle (Humphrey Slocombe)

In your opinion, what type of background or experience is more valuable: a scrappy startup where you build the product marketing team (i.e. leadership opportunities) from scratch or a more established company/larger team where you are perhaps more entry or mid-level?

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

Both can be valuable, but what you’ll get from each is different and the risks of each path are different. You’ll also want to think through what you need most from this ...

633 Views

1 request

What does a product marketing career path look like and what are the core TRANSFERABLE competencies that are required for each level as your career advances?

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

Careers in product marketing can be really varied, but I’ve noticed a few commonalities in successful PMMs’ stories. (Caveat: This is a simplification of a linear career ...

667 Views

1 request

I currently work in marketing (GTM) and want to move into a product marketing role, but my manager is intentionally making it difficult for me because he doesn't want me promoted out from under him... Any advice?

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

First of all – you have to make sure you are being very explicit with them about your goal to grow into a product marketing role. Ask them if they’d be willing to help yo...

618 Views

1 request

How can individual contributors in PMM position themselves for a lead PMM role?

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

As with products you sell, positioning yourself successfully has to be led by actual value creation. 10 tips to position yourself for a PMM lead role by delivering expand...

1216 Views

1 request

In a company in which GTM, product launches, and roadmaps have until now been handled by C-level execs, how should product marketing "break in" to try to influence and get involved?

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

First, check in to ask what the roles and responsibilities have been up to now. If they haven’t been documented, do a mini “listening tour” with the key players to offer ...

590 Views

1 request

What skills are necessary for becoming a Director of Product Marketing

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

There’s a long list of potential skills any Director of Product Marketing needs to have, but here are the most core skills needed for the role, in my experience.Clear com...

956 Views

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How do you know you're ready to move from PMM to Senior PMM

Caroline Silverkorn•

Freed Director of Product Marketing | Formerly Quizlet, Udemy, San Francisco Ballet • 1y

It’s going to vary depending on the company and your manager’s expectations. So make sure to have this conversation directly with them as well!That said, here’s a starter...

574 Views

1 request