One of the hardest questions I’ve faced isn’t about business or products—it’s simply, “What do you do?” I always struggled to explain my job to friends and family and often tried to avoid the topic.

One day, my uncle asked me, and I stumbled through my answer. It felt embarrassing. I thought to myself: If I can’t explain what I do simply, do I really understand it? That moment made me realize how important it is to communicate my work clearly.

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The Easy Answer: “I Build Software”

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The simplest way I’ve found to explain my role is to say, “I build software.” Even though, as product people, we don’t code or design but we’re essentially software builders. We take an idea and turn it into something real—going from 0 to 1—and then help it grow and scale. Our goal is to create software that brings value to customers while driving revenue for our companies.

So, when my uncle asks me what I do, I keep it simple: “I build apps and websites, like WhatsApp and Facebook.”

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“Wait, So You Code?”

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This follow-up is inevitable. When you tell people you build software, their minds often jump to the classic image: you, sitting in front of a dark screen filled with glowing green text, just like a scene out of The Matrix. But the reality is far from that stereotype.

Just like an orchestra needs a conductor to bring harmony to the music, a software product needs a product manager to align all the moving parts—design, development, and user experience—into a cohesive whole.

So, when my uncle asks, “Do you code?” my answer is: “I know how to code, but my role goes way beyond that.” As a product manager, I’m more like the conductor, orchestrating how every feature and function comes together to create something impactful.

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Why It Matters

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The truth is, explaining product management isn’t just about answering a question—it’s about articulating the value we bring. As product managers, we are the ones who hold the vision together, bridging the gap between ideas and execution, ensuring that what gets built truly matters to customers and the business.

So, the next time my uncle asks me what I do (cuz it happens every year 😀), I’ll tell him with confidence:

“I help turn ideas into things people love and use every day. And no, I don’t sit in a dark room coding—but I make sure that what we code brings value.”

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