Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Office Location: Cincinnati, OH
University: University of Cincinnati
Major: Information Systems, Business Analytics
Start Date: June 2020
Starting Role: Product & Design Development Program

Describe your role as a Product Manager.
I oversee the development of new product features in our Media product, Prism. My day-to-day work as a PM involves translating business requirements to specific technical components that our data science and engineering teams can develop, as well as communicating with our stakeholders about that work.

What was your experience like in the Development Program?
In the Development Program, I had the opportunity to learn about all the business teams at 84.51° with a cohort of 24 peers. Being part of this peer group allowed me to ask them questions and have a group to speak to about being a new grad at 84.51°.

How do you believe the 84.51° Development Program compares to other comparable programs?
The 84.51° development program did a great job at setting us up for long-term success. The program leaders allowed us to learn valuable skills and meet the right people before diving into our teams.

How do you believe the Development Program equipped you for success at 84.51°?
During the Development Program, we learned the different roles in Product & Design and how the teams worked together by shadowing members of the team in those roles. Being able to see a Product Manager make real decisions as they go throughout their day is an invaluable experience. Also, the relationships I built during the shadow phase of the Development Program have helped me know people outside my direct team and make better connections.

What did you learn from the Development Program that you have transferred into your current role?
I learned effective techniques for storytelling, communication, and building relationships that have helped me in my role. Being able to tell the story of why your product is valuable and how it is helping others is a key part of being a product manager, and the skills I learned from the Development Program have helped me immensely.

Is there anything you wish you had known about the Development Program prior to enrolling?
I wish I knew how supportive everyone on the Product & Design team was. I knew there was going to be a steep learning curve, but the people on the team were beyond friendly and helpful with getting new team members up to speed.

What has been the most memorable experience or favorite project you’ve worked on?
As a member of our In The Know People Led Team, I was able to host our annual Ask The Execs session. In this session, I got to ask all the executives on the business leadership questions that were submitted by people in our company.

What advice would you give students who are interested in working in the analytics industry?
Be comfortable not always knowing the answers and comfortable with change. 84.51° is a very fast-moving company in a rapidly evolving industry. If you can quickly think of solutions, identify value, and roll with the punches, working at 84.51° or in the analytics industry might be for you.

What’s your favorite part about working at 84.51°?
My favorite part of working at 84.51° is tackling challenging problems with amazing coworkers. It’s so satisfying to see a project through from beginning to end and see the impact on how it makes people’s lives easier. And the people here are so innovative and unique with their problem-solving solutions, both technical and non-technical. Also, the free happy hours with those same people are quite enjoyable too.

What do you like to do in your free time, outside of work hours?
In my free time, I like to play music on guitar, check out local coffee shops, and try to keep my growing houseplant collection alive.