In this episode, Brock talks with Nicu Parente. Nicu is former Army Infantry and today is a senior product manager at Salesforce. In this discussion, we dive into the role of product manager and how best to be an effective one. Nicu is a builder at heart and connects the dots between solving real problems, balancing business needs, and serving the customer. We also discuss Cal Newport's idea of career capital which Nicu expands on. He gets into developing your career capital as a transitioning vet, why we all should be building it online publicly, and finding the element thats most important at the time.

Episode Resources:

Nicu's Tech Transition Resources

Nicu on LinkedIn

Show Notes:

Building a mobile app for solving personal problems. 0:00

Selecting problems to solve through product development. 5:56

App development, monetization strategies, and problem-solving. 8:40

Career transition from military to tech industry. 13:56

Role transitions within tech. 17:08

Engineering and product management roles. 23:44

Product management strategies and prioritization. 26:50

Balancing customer feedback and business objectives. 30:16

Product management and engineering relationships. 35:48

Product management roles for veterans. 38:38

Career planning and skill development in tech industry. 45:33

Job search strategies for veterans. 52:47

Career capital and pillars for professional growth. 1:04:06

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The Scuttlebutt Podcast - The podcast for service members and veterans building a life outside the military.

The Scuttlebutt Podcast features discussions on lifestyle, careers, business, and resources for service members. Show host, Brock Briggs, talks with a special guest from the community committed to helping military members build a successful life, inside and outside the service.

Follow along:   

• Episode & transcript: https://www.scuttlebuttpodcast.co/

• Brock: https://www.brockbriggs.com/