Productside Stories

Trailblazing Women in Product Management: Christine Itwaru, Head of Product at Vitally.io

Featured Guest:

Christine Itwaru | Head of Product at Vitally.io
20/02/2024

Summary

In this engaging conversation, Christine Itwaru reveals how her career evolved from a role in product marketing to becoming Head of Product at Vitally.io. Her entry into product management wasn’t planned—it was driven by empathy and curiosity after realizing the importance of adapting software to users’ real-world workflows.

Christine emphasizes that great product management is rooted in listening, community learning, and a deep understanding of customers. She shares her perspective on the future of product management, particularly as AI reshapes the landscape, and highlights how product leaders must reinvent collaboration and communication to stay relevant.

She also speaks passionately about mentorship and sponsorship, explaining how women in product can grow by finding advocates inside their organizations. Christine celebrates authenticity, encouraging women to embrace their full selves at work, and credits leaders like Lenny Rachitsky, Elena Verna, and Leah Tharin as inspirations for being boldly authentic in tech.

Takeaways

  • Many product managers enter the field accidentally—curiosity and empathy often spark the transition.

  • AI will redefine product management, and PMs must adapt through collaboration and community.

  • Product culture is about aligning human needs with business outcomes.

  • Women should seek sponsors, not just mentors — people who advocate for them in decision rooms.

  • Authenticity builds stronger teams and deeper customer relationships.

  • Internal lateral moves can be an effective path into product management.

  • Product managers must master cross-functional communication and relationship-building.

  • Curiosity and humility are critical leadership traits in evolving organizations.

  • Mentorship and community are essential to growing as a product professional.

  • The future of product management requires reinvention, empathy, and adaptability.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome to Trailblazing Women in Product Management
00:44 Christine’s Accidental Journey into Product Management
03:11 The Aha Moment — Solving Real User Problems
05:09 Learning Product Through Curiosity and Community
07:40 The Future of Product Management and the Impact of AI
09:45 Building a Culture of Learning and Reinvention
11:20 Managing Teams and Learning from New Perspectives
14:22 Stakeholder Relationships and Transparency at Vitally.io
16:18 Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Empowering Women in Product
19:12 How to Transition Across Roles Into Product Management
22:24 Building Trust and Internal Credibility in New Roles
24:00 Authenticity, Leadership, and Women Who Inspire
27:11 Final Reflections and Advice for the Productside Community

Keywords

Christine Itwaru, Vitally.io, Nicole Tieche, Productside Stories, women in product management, mentorship, sponsorship, authenticity, AI in product management, customer success, leadership, community, curiosity, empathy, product culture, product growth, reinvention

Introduction and Welcome to Trailblazing Women in Product Management

Nicole Tieche | 00:00–00:44

Hello everybody! I’m **Nicole Tieche**, your host for *Trailblazing Women in Product Management*. Today our guest is **Christine Itwaru**, the new Head of Product at **Vitally.io**. I’m so excited to have Christine with us to share her insights and experiences in product management. Welcome, Christine!

Christine Itwaru | 00:44–00:53

Thank you, Nicole! I’m thrilled to be here and really appreciate you having me.

Christine’s Accidental Journey into Product Management

Christine Itwaru | 00:44–03:11

Like many people, I fell into product management accidentally. Years ago, I was in **product marketing** on Wall Street, working to enable internal CRM users. One day, while training a user in London, I realized that I needed to fit the product into *his day*—not force him to adapt to the product.

That experience flipped a switch in my head. I started asking him questions about what he did and why. That curiosity led me to sketch out improvements on a napkin that night, and my boss implemented them the next day. He said, “You should be in product management.” And that’s how it all began!

The Aha Moment — Solving Real User Problems

Christine Itwaru | 03:11–05:09

What stuck with me wasn’t the person, but the **delight** on his face when the product suddenly fit his needs. I realized that solving problems for people—making their work easier—was what I wanted to do.

Learning Product Through Curiosity and Community

Christine Itwaru | 05:09–07:40

At that time, there were no formal product management courses. I learned through **community**, attending *Mind the Product* events, reading everything I could, and connecting with others who were figuring it out. Product is about learning together and helping each other grow.

The Future of Product Management and the Impact of AI

Christine Itwaru | 07:40–09:45

Tech in general is going through massive changes, and **AI** will accelerate that. I believe **product managers are at the center of growth and innovation** in every company. Every business is now a software business, and PMs must adapt by reinventing collaboration and learning in real-time.

Building a Culture of Learning and Reinvention

Christine Itwaru | 09:45–11:20

We’re not inventing product management; we’re **reinventing it together**. The new norm will be constant reinvention—rethinking our tools, processes, and collaboration models as AI reshapes everything.

Managing Teams and Learning from New Perspectives

Christine Itwaru | 11:20–14:22

I’ve learned so much from my team at Vitally.io. Because we build for **customer success managers**, I get to learn directly from the people we serve. The first month has been all about absorbing customer pain points and helping my team align with strategic growth opportunities.

Stakeholder Relationships and Transparency at Vitally.io

Christine Itwaru | 14:22–16:18

I’ve been amazed by how transparent and collaborative our leadership team is. Joining at the **Series B** stage means getting access to strategy early and helping shape it with clarity. That’s incredibly rewarding and energizing.

Mentorship, Sponsorship, and Empowering Women in Product

Christine Itwaru | 16:18–19:12

Women often underestimate the power of **raising their hands**. I encourage every woman to speak up, ask for opportunities, and find both **mentors and sponsors**. Mentors guide you; sponsors advocate for you when you’re not in the room. Both are essential for career growth.

How to Transition Across Roles Into Product Management

Christine Itwaru | 19:12–22:24

If your company values **lateral movement**, you can pivot into product management from other departments like customer success or engineering. Internal candidates already know the customers and products—making them ideal for the transition.

Building Trust and Internal Credibility in New Roles

Christine Itwaru | 22:24–24:00

Trust is key. When you move within an organization, colleagues already understand your work ethic and strengths. That familiarity builds confidence and accelerates your success as a PM.

Authenticity, Leadership, and Women Who Inspire

Christine Itwaru | 24:00–27:11

I’m inspired by **Leah Tharin** and **Elena Verna** — strong, authentic voices in product leadership. They remind us that professionalism doesn’t mean hiding your personality. The more authentic you are, the stronger your connection with customers and your team.

Final Reflections and Advice for the Productside Community

Nicole Tieche | 27:11–End

Christine, thank you so much for joining us. Your story is inspiring and your advice so actionable.

Christine Itwaru | End

Thank you, Nicole! Let’s all keep learning, mentoring, and uplifting each other — and yes, let’s all *kick butt* this year!