How do you map the next step once you've hit a certain level where growth slows down?

Start by clarifying where you want to go and what experiences will get you there. Where do you want to be in two, five, ten years? When you research or chat to people in those roles, what experiences have they had that you’re missing? Some of the best advice I ever received is to think about your career less like a straight shot up a corporate ladder and more like a portfolio of different experiences. 

With that lens, growth can take many forms beyond just promotion — leading a challenging new project, learning from a new set of cross-functional partners and leaders, shadowing a partner team to learn a new skill, marketing a new set of products with a different GTM motion, mentoring a new team member or college intern, etc. If you need inspiration, develop a network of marketer or PMM friends who can help you bounce ideas. 

After you’ve identified the skills you want to learn, talk to your manager. They’re invested in your success, so they should help you brainstorm new projects or give you feedback on opportunities that you’ve proactively identified. Chat with your skip-manager and close XFN partners to get their feedback. 

For example, if your experience is primarily in B2B PMM, see if you can get staffed on a B2C PMM project. Or, if you're a PMM who wants a broader marketing skillset, see if you can lead a growth marketing project where there’s a business need. Or, if you’ve only worked with Product Area X but heard great things about the leaders on Product Area Y, see if you can take on a step-up project to develop relationships with that team.