Product Management is Dead. Modern Business Killed It.
For years, we’ve been the butt of the joke. The "mini-CEO" without the authority. We were the people who managed a backlog, wrote the user stories, and facilitated meetings, but had to plead with stakeholders for resources and justify our existence with feature release timelines. We were told our job was to represent the user and be the voice of the customer, but we were often reduced to little more than project managers with a slightly fancier title.
But the world has moved on. The business of building products has changed.
Modern businesses aren't asking, "Did you launch the feature on time?" They're asking, "Did that feature increase revenue by 10%? Did it boost our conversion rates? Did it make a measurable dent in the books?" This is why the traditional product manager is an obsolete role. The old model, the one you know and were taught, is on its way to extinction. The eulogy is being written right now, but it's not by AI, it's by a market that no longer rewards ticket-pushers and feature factories.
The truth is, AI is just the accelerant on a fire that was already burning. AI can manage a backlog, write a user story, and even generate a competitive analysis. If your job can be filtered down to a JIRA board, then your job is on the clock.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel. While the old model is dying, a new one is being born. I call this person the Entrepreneurial Product Manager.
This isn't a new job title; it's a new way of thinking. This PM doesn't just represent the user; they represent the entire business. They don't just build features; they build revenue streams and business lines. They don't just manage a backlog; they manage a P&L. They understand that a product is not a project, it is a business asset.
Now, here's the most critical part: even if you're not being given the authority, you are absolutely being held accountable. When a project fails to deliver on its promise, you are the first one on the hook. This is the moment to push back and take the authority you've always been responsible for. It's what modern companies are starting to empower their best PMs to do. They’re realizing that the old model is inefficient and that you must give power to the person who is ultimately responsible for success.
I learned this the hard way: I stopped being a "mini-CEO" and became an architect of outcomes. I was handed a business goal; not a feature list, and in that moment, I pushed back. I made it clear to management that accountability without authority is a dead-end street. This is where the strategic architect is born: a product manager who is not just empowered, but who actively demands to look at the entire business, involving all units to build products that makes a real difference to the bottom line. This was the birth of the entrepreneurial product manager.
With that authority, I was able to build and scale products across demanding industries and deliver undeniable results:
- In one instance, my goal wasn’t just to improve an app's functionality; it was to increase daily revenue by 10% (I hit 23%) and average cart size by 15% (landed around 28%). My focus was on the business outcome, not the feature itself.
- In a different role, where I managed a significant innovation budget, my single-minded goal was to build new revenue opportunities. I didn't just follow a process; I created a framework that led to a platform reaching 18,000 participants and generating 43M social media impressions in one year. Which also led to income that increased shareholder value.
- When I was working with scientific digital media and publishing, every decision I made was about monetising attention in a market where attention was hard to grab. I focused on that goal with utter determination, whether through subscriptions or advertising or other creative outlets. The stakes were too high for a feature-pusher. I was asked to impact the business's profitability directly.
The old era of product management is over. The new era is for those who are ready to build businesses, not just products. If you’re ready to stop waiting for permission and start architecting a profitable business, then this is the blueprint you need. It's time to stop waiting for your next feature and start building your next business line.
Good luck fellow product people. I wish you luck.
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