Beyond the Backlog

In this episode of Beyond the Backlog, we are honored to host Asif Masud, Director of Product Management for AI Agents at ServiceNow. We explore his strategic transition from analytics consulting to leading AI product development, including the launch of Automation Discovery: a product recognized by ServiceNow's Chief Product Officer as a standout release.

As a Berkeley Haas alum, Asif opens up about breaking into B2B product management, what hiring managers actually look for in design interviews, and why curiosity trumps technical skills. From managing weekly customer conversations to building coalitions around shared problems, he shares practical frameworks for anyone transitioning into product management or scaling from IC to director level.

In this episode of Beyond the Backlog, we are honored to host Kim Ayers, Product Operations Director at DocuSign. We explore her thoughtful journey from Peace Corps volunteer to McKinsey consultant to becoming a Product Operations leader who has collaborated with 50+ product managers. Kim shares how she built DocuSign's beta testing program from scratch and successfully managed a challenging product launch that required onboarding 200 customers in just 3 months during an executive leadership transition.

As someone who bridges the gap between product and go-to-market teams, Kim offers valuable insights into what makes products successful. She opens up about the "generalist advantage" philosophy, understanding deal cycles, and why field team incentives matter for any aspiring product manager. From cross-functional leadership to coalition building, Kim shares practical insights about what enables PM effectiveness from someone who has observed patterns across dozens of product teams.

In this episode of Beyond the Backlog, we are honored to host Michelle Poon, Director of Product Management at Zendesk. We explore her bold transition from nonprofit tech, to leading fraud detection at Adobe and now into her current role at Zendesk where she leads critical cloud operations with 140 engineers, driving FinOps, and developer experience.

As a Berkeley Haas alum, Michelle sits with Berkeley Haas PM Club and opens up about breaking into product management, how she learned to lead highly technical teams, and the importance of staying true to your values as you grow in your career.

From embracing discomfort to becoming a coalition builder across teams, Michelle shares honest lessons, practical frameworks, and inspiration for anyone looking to pivot into product and thrive — especially those coming from non-traditional paths

Join Beyond the Backlog as we dive into Sparsh Agarwal’s inspiring journey from software engineering to becoming a Director of Product Management.

In this episode, Sparsh shares his unique path to breaking into product management, the key lessons he’s learned along the way, and actionable insights for aspiring product leaders. Whether you’re starting your career in tech or aiming to transition into product management, this episode is packed with tips, strategies, and inspiration to help you take your career to the next level.