Over the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of speaking at more than 15 conferences across 5 countries. Each stage, audience, and format taught me something new. Not just about public speaking, but about product mindset, agility, human connection and even myself.
As product managers, we deliver clarity out of ambiguity, align stakeholders, and continuously iterate. In that sense, the stage became the mirror. Every keynote, workshop, and panel forced me to clarify what I believe, how I communicate value, and approach different concepts from different angles.
Here are XY product lessons I’ve learned in no particular order.
1. Know Your Users (Audience) Deeply
Every successful talk starts with understanding the audience. Are they engineers, executives, or fellow PMs? Are they from a startup or an enterprise? What are their interests? and so on. That same principle applies to building products. Never skip the discovery.
2. Cut Scope, Sharpen Message
Time limits forced me to prioritize what mattered most. A 45-minute talk became a 20-minute lightning version. Just like in product work, constraints force clarity. Say no often. Ruthlessly prioritize.
3. Tailored Context Beats Global Generalizations
Using local, relevant, and tailored examples always drives more engagement than generic case studies. Knowing what’s relevant in a certain country or community always made a huge difference in the talks. When you know your users (see 1), tailor the product to deliver unique value for their unique needs.
4. Think in MVPs and Test (With Minimized Risk)
My first version of a talk was never the final one. I start with a prototype deck, test it with someone, refine with feedback, and only then launch the best version on a bigger stage. Start scrappy, experiment and continuously learn as you develop the product further.
5. It’s Not About You
Unless you’re presenting to your mom, people usually don’t care about you for your sake. They want to learn something, get inspired, motivated etc. Leave the ego behind whether you’re delivering a talk or a product.
Wrapping Up
Beyond these takeaways, public speaking is a powerful way to develop a wide range of product management skills. For starters, it sharpens your presentation abilities, helping you clearly articulate complex ideas, structure arguments, and capture attention. Storytelling becomes second nature as you learn to frame problems, share customer insights, and pitch product decisions in ways that resonate. It also builds confidence in navigating tough questions, which are skills that translate directly into handling exec reviews, user interviews, or cross-functional debates. Even the act of preparing a talk mirrors key product practices: researching your audience, defining key messages, prototyping slides, gathering feedback, and iterating. In short, the stage isn’t just a place to share what you know, it’s a place to learn.
If you’re a PM, I highly recommend trying public speaking – even if at a local meetup. It’s one of the fastest ways to sharpen your thinking, grow your network, and become a clearer communicator.
Have you tried it already? What are your main takeaways, recommendations and impressions?