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- The Punk PM #10
Hey there, punk!
This week, we hosted the second ProductTank Newcastle of 2025 at the hedgehog lab office. The conversations were incredible—deep dives into product management careers and staying true to your values. So, I thought I’d share my own journey into product management and why a squiggly career path isn’t a drawback—it’s an advantage.
Here you go.
Quote of the Week 🙊
Rock'n'roll is an attitude, it's not a musical form of a strict sort. It's way of doing things, of approaching things. Writing can be rock'n'roll, or a movie can be rock'n'roll. It's a way of living your life.
— Lester Bangs
Insight 🦉
As Head of Product at hedgehog lab, I spend a lot of time helping our commercial team with new business—working with clients to bridge the gap between vision, strategy, and what we’re actually going to build.
Whenever I introduce myself in these meetings, I always drop in the fact that before I was a product manager, I was a music journalist.
It’s a fun little trivia fact, and it usually makes me a bit more memorable—that product guy who used to be a music hack.
Almost every time, I get the same reaction: “Wow, that’s a big career change.”
But honestly? The more I think about it, the less I agree. There are a lot of parallels between music journalism and product management.
From Music Journalism to Product Management
I was born in the late ’70s and turned sixteen just after Definitely Maybe came out. I went from long-haired Jimi Hendrix fanatic to Adidas Gazelle-wearing Noel Gallagher wannabe overnight.
When I was thinking about careers, product management wasn’t even a thing. The internet was still a new frontier, and digital products weren’t on anyone’s radar.
But the British music press? That was at its peak. And aside from being a rock star, my biggest ambition was to write for NME or Melody Maker.
I studied Media & Cultural Studies, started a journalism master’s (which I quit), and worked in a record shop while getting my music writing career off the ground. I reviewed gigs for local North East magazines like The Crack and Narc., moved up to indie mags like FACT and Artrocker, and eventually landed a dream gig at NME.
It was fun, but there’s no money in music journalism. You can’t pay the mortgage with free CDs and guest list passes. So, I started a North East music blog and launched my own copywriting business.
Without realising it, I had gone from writer to entrepreneur—becoming the product manager of my own website. And loving it.
As I got older, the idea of hanging out in dingy venues five nights a week became less and less appealing and the idea of hanging out behind a laptop became more and more so.
Fast forward a few years, and I moved fully into tech. Eventually, I became the first product manager at a Newcastle-based edtech, where I built the product function from scratch before finding my way to Head of Product.
What Music Journalism Taught Me About Product Management
1️⃣ It’s Not About You
A music journalist isn’t the star—the music is. Your job is to capture the essence of the story, the artist, the scene. In product, it’s the same.
You’re not the hero. Your product isn’t about you. It’s about the customer, the problem, the market. Your job is to let the story unfold. Let the music do the talking.
2️⃣ Clarity and Concision Are Everything
Turning a two-hour, rambling interview with a stoned musician into a tight 300-word article? That’s the job. You find the heart of the story, strip out the fluff, and make it sing.
Product management is the same. You take vague, messy, high-level ideas and distill them into a clear vision, spec, or MVP. You find the hook—the thing that resonates.
3️⃣ Always Look for the Right Angle
A good music journalist doesn’t just churn out generic album reviews—they find the angle that makes it interesting. What’s the story? What makes it compelling?
As a PM, positioning is everything. A great product can fail because it wasn’t framed the right way. A good product can succeed because it was.
It’s not always the product that’s wrong—it’s how you sell it.
The Music/Product Connection
It’s not just me—there are loads of ex-music folks in product. Matt LeMay (author of Product Management in Practice) wrote a book on Elliott Smith before getting into product. Jason Knight (of One Knight in Product podcast fame) used to be in a pretty successful punk band. John Cutler (everyone’s favourite product management guru) played in a bunch of different groups. Tommi Forsström (ex-VP of Product at Teachable) ran a record label.
Product management needs generalists. A diverse background isn’t a hindrance—it’s an edge. And honestly? The leap isn’t as big as people think.
Action 🚀
What was your path into product management? What’s an unexpected skill from your past that gives you an edge as a PM? How can you use it?
Inspiration 💡
The End of Programming As We Know It by Tim O’Reilly
AI won’t replace programmers—it’ll just change how they work. The future of programming is about leveraging AI to build smarter, faster, and better.
Over 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush and Damon Albarn, released a silent album protesting AI companies using their work without permission. The future of music, like product, is changing fast.
Nicky Wire on the Enduring Truth of Manic Street Preachers by Tilly Foulkes
After 37 years, Manic Street Preachers are still evolving. Nicky Wire talks about their new album, critical thinking, and pushing against the tide of blind optimism.
Signing Off ✍️
If this resonated, hit reply and tell me—what was your squiggly route into product? And if you think a friend or colleague would enjoy The Punk PM, feel free to share it with them.
Play it your way,
Toby