Mentoring is one of the kindest things you can do

“I get so much joy out of mentoring.”

We caught up with Cindy Camacho, PLA ambassador and Founder of VOC Strategies, to learn more about her experiences with our mentorship program, both as a mentor and mentee.

Cindy is an award-winning product leader with a deep passion for product marketing, product management, customer experience, and learning.

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Cindy’s motivation for joining the mentorship program

“When I first joined the mentorship program, I joined as a mentee seeking advice, counsel, and feedback. I needed to learn from somebody more tenured, and I found someone absolutely perfect for me.

“She gave me really grounded advice about not only the industry and the job, but also managing life while working in product management and product marketing. She shared her experience and life stories.

“Slowly, our relationship transitioned from mentorship to friendship, which was absolutely beautiful. Now we stay connected, and I have her in my circle as a trusted advisor I can always call upon.

“Afterwards, I wanted to give back as a mentor – it’s a win-win.

“When I mentor, I'm helping others, but they're also helping me. I'm able to brush up on my skills, challenge my thinking, and really dig deep to consider the impact of the advice I give.

“This helps with my leadership skills while fostering relationships with the next generation of product managers and product marketers.

“I thoroughly enjoy it. I get so much joy out of mentoring – it’s probably my favorite professional activity!

“I mentor a diverse range of professionals: tenured individuals making career shifts who have portfolio careers and are seeking transitions into the product world, recent college graduates with their degrees who are eager and qualified, and professionals at various career stages who just need someone to talk to.

“Product is such a broad field that it sometimes needs to be explained, because job descriptions don't really do it justice or give you all the information you need.

“When mentoring, I listen to mentees, assess their situation both from a recruiter's and hiring manager's perspective, and provide advice that's best for their particular stage in their product life cycle.

“Whether they're just out of college or mid-level professionals, I adapt my guidance accordingly.

“I believe mentoring is one of the kindest things you can do for somebody in your profession who has aspirations, goals, and dreams. It's our duty to give back – I think we should be obligated to do that.

“Through the mentorship program, I've found fulfillment.”

What Cindy enjoys most about mentoring

“The long-term relationships.”

“For example, one of my first mentees – I haven't spoken to him in almost a year now. We were matched through the program last year. The relationship evolved as he moved to another country and started a new opportunity, so things naturally fizzled out a bit.

“However, we stay connected via LinkedIn. He's frequently commenting or liking my posts, and he's just a click away – literally just a chat or message away.

“That's my favorite part – knowing that I have these connections that will always be there.

“It's a two-way relationship. If he needs me, I'm there. If I need him, he's there. The relationship never dies; we just pick up where we left off.

“For me, it's the relationship building that I love the most, and knowing that hopefully, I've provided something that added value to their lives.”

How Cindy helps her mentees reach their true potential as a product manager

“When mentoring, I look at their resume. If they're seeking a new opportunity, I put on my recruiter hat to help with their immediate goal of getting that product job. That becomes the focus of our relationship.

“I give honest, productive, and helpful feedback.

“Many aspiring product managers enter the field through non-traditional paths – they might start as a product owner, then move into product management, begin in product strategy, or start in a junior position.

“I meet them where they're at, assess their transferable skills, and if there are gaps, I tell them what they need to fill those gaps.

“It's not just “apply for all these jobs and see what happens.” Sometimes they don't have a particular skill set today, so they need to acquire it.

“I'll quote Phyl Terry, author of ‘Never Search Alone’. He says, "A dream is not a plan. You need a strategy to achieve that goal."

“If their dream is to be Chief Product Officer one day, I help them understand the steps to get there – the specific things they'll need to do to slowly but surely achieve their goals and meet their dreams.

“If they're currently employed and happy but just need advice about a product launch, discovery, or dealing with a difficult coworker, that requires a different approach. Then I put on the leadership hat and discuss things that will help them in their current position.

“Whether they're having cross-functional alignment issues or need templates to organize data, or perhaps they need a checklist because they don't know what to do next, or have too much on their plate – I provide tools and resources that will help them with their immediate needs.

“My approach depends on the person, their goals, and their immediate needs. I adapt and wear the hat or take on the role that will help them most at that time.”

How mentoring has impacted Cindy’s professional growth

“Mentoring has helped me with communication, leadership, and empathy. It's a good reminder of when I was in their shoes and how beneficial mentorship was for me.

“It's a serious position that shouldn't be taken lightly.

“Being a mentor is an absolute honor, and we have to take the role very seriously, just like you have to take the role of leadership seriously. Any role where you're responsible for somebody requires serious commitment.

“Don't just provide any type of feedback – make sure it's constructive and useful. Ensure it's actionable; something they can actually do, not just high-level fluffy talk.

“For me, mentoring has helped me as a leader to communicate directly with impactful feedback in an empathetic way. It has certainly improved my leadership, communication, and perspective.

“It's important to never forget where you came from and what it took for you to get to where you are now. That's where that other person is – they're trying to get there too.”

The value of PLA’s mentorship program

“What I like most about the program is that it makes the matching process easy.

“It takes your goals, traits, characteristics, experience, and personality, and tries to match you with somebody compatible. I think that's super important.

“Plus, the system tracks everything for you and provides resources. I haven't found another mentorship program that actually gives you resources like this one does.

“There are guides you can follow – a mentor guide, a mentee guide. In the system, you can enter your notes and see your progress. You can even track what you've discussed: "Today, we talked about this" or "We've talked about that." Then you can circle back without forgetting.

“It helps establish accountability: "You need to come to these meetings with the following," because that's the commitment you made to each other.

“So there's accountability, organization, and some chemistry, as you have to be compatible. It's a really good service, and I haven't found other programs that utilize an app or service like that.”

Cindy’s experiences with PLA

“I'm surprised [the PLA community team] aren't sick of me, because I keep asking, "Can I do this? Can I do that?"

“It's been wonderful – beautiful, really.

“I've enjoyed the relationships, the involvement, the resources, and the learning.

“Product-Led Alliance provides a wealth of information.

“Such as templates that are so important – these templates are invaluable because you don't have to recreate the wheel. They literally tell you what you need to do and when you need to do it.

“They teach you best practices, why each template is valuable, and why you should follow specific processes.

“But genuinely, it's the people.

“We have a really great community of product professionals helping each other. Product management is tough, and this is a place where you can feel safe, vent, talk, and also get help when you need it.

“The community is growing. Recently, I started the Orlando group, and in a few weeks, we're going to have our second meetup. Hopefully, our Orlando community continues to grow.

“Product-Led Alliance and the community are fantastic, absolutely fabulous.”

Convinced? Join the mentorship program

We pair product managers worldwide with experts in their fields to ensure everyone has the advice, resources, and confidence to kick their product and career out of the park — because part of elevating the product management role is elevating individuals, too.

Our mentorship program is available to Pro and Pro+ members, so ensure you're signed in to gain access to the program. Or sign up if you aren't a member yet.