Product Administration Weblog | Trailblazing Ladies in Product Administration: Insights from Michelle Felice-Steele, VP at Experian 

On this version of our Ladies in Product Administration Sequence, I had the pleasure of talking with Michelle Felice-Steele, Vice President of Product Administration at Experian Shopper Providers. Michelle shares her inspiring profession journey, insights on management, and recommendation for girls in tech seeking to break into product administration. 

Key Takeaways from Michelle Felice-Steele 

• Keep curious: At all times be studying and asking questions. 

• Search alternatives: Elevate your hand and volunteer for brand spanking new challenges. 

• Tailor communication: Know your viewers and adapt your message. 

• Discover mentors: Construct a community of supportive, skilled professionals. 
• Embrace innovation: Concentrate on fixing issues in new and impactful methods. 

From Journalism to Product Administration: Michelle’s Profession Journey 

Nicole: Michelle, welcome! Let’s dive proper in. How did you get into product administration? 

Michelle: Thanks, Nicole, I’m excited to be right here! My profession path wasn’t precisely conventional. It started within the late ’90s once I was taking journalism lessons in school. Certainly one of my professors labored on the Las Vegas Solar, which was launching its on-line website—what later turned Vegas.com. 

I assumed, “This on-line factor is basically going to take off,” so I jumped on the probability to work on this house. I began on the inventive aspect, working with content material, HTML, and imagery. From there, I moved to Los Angeles and landed a job in challenge administration. Whereas it gave me a strong technical basis, I missed the inventive outlet. 

Product administration turned the right match as a result of it’s concerning the “what” and “why” of constructing a product, in addition to understanding the “how.” My background in challenge administration helped me develop abilities like facilitation, technical aptitude, and solutioning—all important for product administration. Transitioning into this function felt pure as a result of it aligned my inventive passions with enterprise technique. 

Discovering Inspiration in Shopper Insights 

Nicole: That’s such a novel mix of creativity, enterprise, and tech. What conjures up you most in product administration right now? 

Michelle: For me, it’s all about shopper insights. At Experian Shopper Providers, we have now an unbelievable crew devoted to understanding the wants of our customers. Listening to straight from finish customers is all the time inspiring. 

Proper now, I oversee a B2B2C mannequin, which entails serving each companies and shoppers. It’s a difficult house but in addition rewarding as a result of it retains me continually studying. As a product supervisor, being as shut as potential to your finish person is crucial. Whether or not it’s by interviews, suggestions from gross sales groups, or knowledge from consumer companies, these insights gasoline innovation. 

The Artwork of Managing Stakeholders by Affect 

Nicole: Product administration typically entails working with a variety of stakeholders. How do you navigate these relationships? 

Michelle: It’s all about customizing your message. At a management stage, particularly when working with executives, it’s essential to tailor your communication. Builders want detailed directions, however executives choose elevator pitches with clear takeaways. 

I all the time prepare my crew to know their viewers and alter accordingly. It’s a key talent that helps construct belief and affect throughout groups. 

Elevating Your Hand: Recommendation for Aspiring Leaders 

Nicole: You’ve superior by management roles in product administration. What recommendation do you could have for others seeking to develop their management abilities? 

Michelle: Elevate your hand and search alternatives. Should you see a niche or envision a brand new challenge, communicate up. You don’t must be an professional—simply present a need to study. 

At all times be curious. Ask questions with sincerity and authenticity. Once you join the dots, you’ll uncover alternatives to make an influence. And don’t overlook mentorship—each being a mentor and searching for one. At Experian, we have now a Ladies in Experian Mentorship Program, and it’s been one of the crucial fulfilling components of my profession. 

What Makes a Nice Product Supervisor? 

Nicole: When hiring for product administration roles, what qualities or expertise do you prioritize? 

Michelle: The flexibility to resolve advanced issues and perceive your person is vital. I search for candidates who can articulate how they’ve taken a product by its complete lifecycle, not only one part. 

There are such a lot of forms of product roles—business-focused, technical, design-driven, or marketing-oriented. Every requires totally different abilities, however throughout the board, the power to steadiness market demand, technical feasibility, and enterprise viability is crucial. 

Ardour for Innovation 

Nicole: What excites you most about product administration? 

Michelle: Innovation. It’s what drives me. I really like fixing issues for shoppers and creating options that make their lives simpler. One of the crucial rewarding tasks I labored on was Experian Increase—a product that broke new floor in credit score reporting. It was difficult to construct, however that’s what made it so impactful. If it have been simple, anybody might do it. 

Breaking Into Product Administration: Recommendation for Ladies 

Nicole: For girls seeking to enter product administration, what recommendation would you provide? 

Michelle: Begin by constructing a robust basis. There are such a lot of nice books and sources on the market. Two must-reads are Impressed and Reworked by Marty Cagan. The Lean Product Playbook by Dan Olsen can also be unbelievable, and in case you’re occupied with innovation, try Hooked: The best way to Construct Behavior-Forming Merchandise by Nir Eyal. 

Develop primary technical abilities. You don’t have to be a developer, however understanding know-how and asking the suitable questions is important. 

Lastly, community and search mentorship. Don’t be afraid to place your self on the market and join with others within the subject. Confidence and steady studying will take you far. 

Nicole: That’s unbelievable recommendation. Thanks, Michelle, for sharing your journey and insights. 

Michelle: Thanks for having me!