
Updated Feb 4, 2025
In the world of product platform management, few leaders bring as much insight and experience as Elena Leonova. As the Chief Product Officer at Spryker, she’s spent over 15 years shaping digital commerce and leading high-impact platform product teams. In this conversation, she shares her journey from Business Analyst to Product Leader, the challenges of managing platform products, and how she’s navigated male-dominated spaces to forge a successful career.
From Business Analyst to Product Leader
Every product leader has a unique entry point into the field, and Elena’s journey started by accident—but it was her boldness that defined where she ended up.
“I’m from Ukraine, and I started as a Business Analyst. At the time, product management wasn’t a common role in our region. But I was reading Marty Cagan’s Inspired and thought, ‘I want to be a Product Manager at eBay.’”
Elena was working at Magento, an up-and-coming commerce company, when eBay unexpectedly acquired them. But instead of celebrating, she learned eBay had no Business Analyst roles—and she was about to lose her job.
“I pitched to the eBay leadership: ‘Give us three months. I’ll train my team of Business Analysts to become Product Managers.’ To my surprise, they agreed. And that’s how I became a Product Manager at eBay.”
Elena’s story isn’t just about being in the right place at the right time—it’s about recognizing opportunities and taking bold action.
What is Product Platform Management?
As Elena advanced in her career, she found herself deep in platform product management, a different beast compared to traditional B2C or B2B products.
“Most people think of products as something built for consumers or businesses. But platform products are different—you’re not just serving customers; you’re enabling developers and partners to create value on top of your product.”
Think about Apple’s App Store: Apple provides the platform, but developers build the apps that create real value.
What makes platform product management so complex?
- Multiple user personas:You’re not just serving end-users; you’re supporting developers, partners, and businesses who rely on your platform.
- Technical & business decisions collide: Every technical choice (e.g., PHP vs. Java, AWS vs. Google Cloud) affects who can use your platform and where you can sell.
- Developer enablement is critical: If developers struggle to build on your platform, adoption drops and the ecosystem collapses.
- Scaling the platform requires deep integration: The success of a platform depends on its ability to support multiple businesses, industries, and use cases. You need to build an ecosystem that grows organically while keeping technical debt in check.
“When you’re managing a platform product, you have to think about the entire ecosystem—not just the customer, but also the developers and partners who build on your platform.”
Lessons from a Career in Platform Product Management
1. Know the Business Impact of Technical Decisions
Product Managers don’t need to be technical experts, but they must understand the business impact of technical choices.
“If you choose PHP over Java, you’re dictating who can work with your product. If you host on AWS vs. Google Cloud, it changes your market accessibility. Every decision limits or expands your audience.”
“Technical trade-offs aren’t just about engineering. They influence pricing models, partnerships, and even regional market expansion.”
2. Prioritization is the Hardest—and Most Important—Skill
Managing platform products means balancing competing priorities across multiple personas. But how do you decide what gets built?
“The best approach I’ve found is to focus on solving the hardest problems for the majority of customers. If it’s an easy problem, leave it to partners to solve.”
“A great platform empowers developers to innovate while ensuring end-users receive the best possible experience.”
3. Product Managers Need to Think Commercially
Early in her career, Elena focused on features and customer needs—but she overlooked pricing and profitability.
“A product can be the best in the world, but if it’s too expensive, no one will buy it. PMs need to think about monetization, margins, and cost-to-build—not just features.”
“Understanding operational costs is crucial—many PMs forget to factor in maintenance, support, and scalability when making decisions.”
Navigating Male-Dominated Spaces as a Woman in Product
The tech industry is still male-dominated, which can be intimidating for women entering the field. Elena’s advice? Don’t conform—lead with your values.
“I tell the women I mentor: don’t try to ‘act more like a man.’ Instead, bring your unique strengths to the table. When I started in tech, I was often the only woman in the room. But over time, I saw how my leadership style changed the culture—collaboration improved, conversations became more respectful.”
“If you lead with empathy, respect, and a customer-first mindset, you’ll influence how your team operates—without compromising who you are.”
“Your leadership style is your strength. Own it.”
Final Thoughts: Becoming a Stronger Product Leader
Elena’s journey in product platform management is packed with hard-earned lessons—from transforming an entire team at eBay, to leading complex commerce platforms, to mentoring the next generation of PMs.
So, what’s the best advice she has for aspiring product leaders?
“Be true to your values. If you’re focused on solving problems, leading with empathy, and driving real impact, you’ll build products that people love—and a career that truly matters.”
“Product leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about asking the right questions and empowering your team to find the best solutions.”
To see more from our series on Women in Product Management make sure to listen to our podcast.