Guest: Simone Thomas, Product Marketing at Meta

Laura is joined by Simone Thomas, Product Marketing Manager at Meta. Simone started her career in advertising, got her MBA at Wharton, worked in product strategy at Nordstrom, and then joined the product team at Meta.

In this episode, Laura and Simone dive deep into the importance of storytelling and people skills. Simone also explains how non-work related experiences (like volunteering at homeless shelters) have shaped the way she approaches product marketing and cross-functional collaboration.

They discuss:

• Why people skills are a superpower


• Volunteering experiences, community, and storytelling


• How to build trust with product teams


• Influencing cross-functional teams and managing up


• Self-awareness in professional growth

Connect with Simone Thomas:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Laura Colagrande:

• ⁠LinkedIn⁠


• ⁠Youtube⁠

Book referenced in their conversation: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg.

Timestamps

• (00:00) -- Intro


• (00:50) -- Day in the Life: Product Marketing at Meta


• (05:05) -- Volunteering Experiences and Developing Empathy


• (08:52) -- Creating Authenticity and Vulnerability in the Workplace


• (11:53) -- Overcoming Fear and Building Human Connections


• (15:30) -- The Power of Storytelling in Influencing Others


• (25:13) -- The Most Important Skill You Need in Tech


• (26:16) -- The Power of Self-Awareness and Vulnerability


• (32:00) -- Trust as the Ultimate Currency


• (36:09) -- The Importance of Listening and Thoughtful Communication


• (46:58) -- Closing: Influence Shout Out and Rapid Fire Questions

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