The PM book I wish someone had given me 20 years ago.

You got the PM job. Congratulations. Now what?

Most product management books assume you already know what you're doing. This book is different. It's written by someone who's been in the trenches for over 20 years and has made every mistake you're about to make.

This book is a realistic field guide for new product managers that emphasises the messy human reality over idealised frameworks. The core messages are about making good-enough decisions with incomplete information, communicating constantly across different audiences, and leading without formal authority, while everything takes longer than planned and requires constant compromise.

Welcome to product management.
Here's your survival guide.

Sound Familiar?

• You're managing stakeholders who definitely have opinions, but not always answers

• You're held accountable for outcomes you don't directly control

• You need to make strategic decisions with incomplete information

• You're navigating complex relationships with engineering teams who speak a different language

• Everyone assumes you know what you're doing, but no one actually explains what that means

What Makes This Different

It's actually practical. Instead of high-level strategy theory, you get methods to deal with the situations you'll face tomorrow. Like how to run a fireside chat with your new team, or what to do when your scope gets halved twice before it ships.

It's honest about the realities. This isn't sanitised corporate speak. It's how experienced PMs actually talk about the job - direct, occasionally blunt, but ultimately helpful.

It's designed for how you work. Fifty-eight focused chapters averaging 5 pages each. Read a complete topic during your lunch break. Find answers when you need them. No theoretical padding.

It covers the complete journey. From your first day through advanced team leadership. Everything from decoding PM speak to mastering the demo to working with developers who argue with themselves over the meaning of 'push'.

What You'll Learn

Starting Out: What a PM actually does (beyond the job description ambiguity), how to take inventory of your product and team, and why communication is your most critical skill.

Facing Hard Truths: You're a leader whether you like it or not, compromise is inevitable, and saying no is the hardest part of the job.

Working with People: How to build credibility with developers, manage launches, work with extended teams, and measure what actually matters.

Advanced Skills: Why you should learn to code (and how much is enough), how to master the demo, and leveraging technology for PM work.

Plus: PM Terms Decoded - a comprehensive guide to acronyms and terminology with translations of what they actually mean in practice.

Perfect For

New product managers (0-3 years) who need practical guidance for day-to-day challenges

Career changers transitioning into PM from development, design, marketing, or consulting

Product owners looking to move into product management roles

MBA graduates and bootcamp students targeting PM positions

Anyone who needs to understand what product managers actually do