Sales to Product: How Rahul Rewrote His Career Playbook

Welcome to Radhika’s Newsletter “Intent”. This is your tri-weekly guide to purposeful living, wealth-building, and personal growth.

Hello!!! I’m so excited to launch my new series called ‘Intent in Action: Real Life Stories’ where I share real life stories of individuals around me that continue to inspire me day after day. These are people who’ve taken intentional steps to shape their lives, actively pursuing their goals and making the most out of every lemon life hands them. Basically, it’s about making life happen, not letting it happen to you.

In this first edition, I’m excited to feature Rahul, a Sales Engineer turned Product Manager. He’s deliberately made the choice to switch his career roadmap and made it happen over the course of the years. His journey is packed with actionable insights, clear steps to follow, and the powerful impact of maintaining a clear vision.

Dive into his inspiring story below!

What was the turning point that inspired you to make this change or pursue this new direction? (Sales to Product)

I’d always been told there are two key drivers of a successful company: selling the product or building it. I had experienced selling and realized I could make a greater impact by building solutions for clients.

As a seller, I deeply understood what clients were looking for through a close feedback loop. However, I felt limited to addressing immediate or past problems. As a PM, I could proactively build what clients needed for the future.

One deal in particular stood out—our sales team prioritized hitting a quota over truly solving the client’s needs. Meanwhile, the product team was focused on addressing future challenges. That experience was a catalyst; I knew I wanted to be part of creating solutions, not just selling them.

What steps did you take to approach this transition intentionally, and how did you plan for success?

1. Research:

   I interviewed 25+ PMs—junior, mid-level, and senior—both internally and externally to understand their career paths and daily responsibilities. I learned about different PM roles, such as growth vs. technical PMs, to identify where I’d fit best.

2. Skill Building:

   Since there’s no formal degree for PMs, I pursued certifications in cloud computing, SQL, and data analytics to address gaps in my skillset. I revamped my resume to reflect these skills and show my commitment to the role.

3. Mentorship and Networking:

   I established relationships with mentors across sales, marketing, and product teams and stayed in regular contact. One mentor (Deepak) introduced me to Rob, a senior VP of Sales, who connected me to Dave, the VP of Product. These introductions were pivotal in finding the right team.

4. Proactive Preparation:

   I started my transition plan a year before applying for the role. I collaborated with the marketing and sales teams I worked closely with as a seller, which helped me understand the product from all angles.

5. Internal Change First:

   During the pandemic, external opportunities were geared toward more experienced candidates, so I focused on creating an opportunity internally.

What challenges or doubts did you face along the way, and how did you overcome them?

1. Pushback from Management:
   When I informed my sales manager about my goals, they suggested waiting 6–9 months for support. However, I received an offer within two weeks. This created tension, as leadership was unhappy with my decision to leave the role so soon. However, the strings attached were: I’d be breaking a lot of relationships in my sales org and leadership wasn’t happy I was leaving my role so soon.

   Solution: I negotiated a deal to remain in sales while working on transition projects that benefited both teams. This ensured a smoother transition to a senior product role later. To overcome it, I made a deal with my sales manager that I’ll be in sales for 6-9 months but worked on transition projects that would allow me to transition into a more Sr. Product Role.

2. Career Downgrade:
   The initial PM role offered was at the same level but with less pay—a potential step backward. I made a conscious decision to grow the relationships I’d made in Sales to catapult me into a better product situation.

3. Doubts About Technical Skills:
   I lacked a technical background, which was frequently highlighted during feedback. I overcame this by self-learning SQL, completing analytics courses, and mastering the specific product set of the team I was joining.

   In interviews, I addressed these concerns head-on: “I may not have a technical degree, but I’m willing to learn whatever you need me to.”

4. No Guaranty of the Role

   My other doubt was that there was no guarantee that there’d be another open role anytime soon with higher pay or at the same band/grade level.

   Also, I would need 2-3 years to make an impact in product, whereas in Sales, you have wins every week. The question I had to ask myself was: Would I have the patience to wait 2 years to release a product?

What impact has this transition (sales to product) had on your life, and how has it shaped your vision for the future?

It’s made all the difference. This transition has been life-changing. Product management forces you to think from all angles and consider every stakeholder’s perspective. I’m no longer solving problems for today or yesterday but building for the long-term future. There’s a beauty in taking those bets. This mindset has improved not just my career but how I approach life—by prioritizing strategic, intentional decisions. The experience has also opened doors. Now, I feel confident I can succeed in various roles across product, sales, or marketing.

If someone in a similar position is reading this, what advice would you give them about taking that first step?

Step 1: If you’re in sales and want to switch to product at your own company, attend all product roadmaps to get to know everyone involved: designers, product leaders, engineers, understand the product. Get to know ALL OF THEM.

Step 2: Add value to every part of the product development process. Invite the PMs to your sales calls - they appreciate this. Invite them to conferences and to in person meetings. Put them in the spotlight. Give them facetime in front of customers. P.S: Give credit to the developers, they’re often overlooked. You want to advocate for them.

Step 3: DO THE WORK! Create your own roadmap of where things are going and pitch it to the product team. Show how you can balance customer value and have potential monetary value (customers are asking for it directly). And do the analysis: show that you’ve already talked to developers and that it takes ‘3-4’ sprints to build it. Also add how does it tie to the overall department strategy.

Step 4: Come to table with all the data and steps: marketing, sales enablement, etc. And show how this is helpful, for example: ‘we can say stuff we couldn’t before’ and ‘we’re now on par with competitor.’ Remember to include Gartner positionings, end of year review, and other success measurements.

How did staying true to your intentions guide you through this transition, and what role did clarity of purpose play in your journey?

Staying focused on my goal of becoming a product manager gave me ownership over my career. At one point, my sales manager offered me more money to stay, but I knew this decision wasn’t about immediate financial gains. It was about solving future problems and gaining autonomy over my work. One mentor told me:

That advice stayed with me throughout this journey. This transition wasn’t just about a job change; it was about taking control of my career and living intentionally. And for that, I’ll always be grateful. I felt the ‘go get shit done’ attitude.

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Thank you so much for being a part of the Intent community. I rely on word-of-mouth for growth. If you enjoyed this newsletter, I’d love for you to share it with a friend.
Your commitment to living with purpose is exactly why this space exists. Can’t wait to share more in the next edition!

Until next time,
Radhika
Creating a life of purpose, wealth, and growth.

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