What Happens When a PM Becomes a Creator?
Most people try to grow their audience by copying trends or posting what’s popular. But what if you applied product thinking instead? Aakash Gupta former VP of Product at Apollo.io, turned full-time creator at product growth, did exactly that. In this Product Founder episode, Aakash breaks down the mindset shift from building software products to building an audience. Whether you’re growing a newsletter, launching a course, or just starting on LinkedIn, this episode has details with systems that scale.

Start With Your “Market of One”
“Don’t chase a big niche. Find your niche.”

Aakash urges creators to avoid generic spaces like “AI news” or “product management.” Instead, get ultra-specific. What do you know that others don’t? What’s your unique intersection of skills, experience, and perspective?

Example: Aakash didn’t just write about product management, he focused on applying PM principles to audience growth, content creation, and solopreneurship. That became his differentiator.
Actionable Tip: Define your market of one. What can you speak about with credibility that few others can?

One Channel, One Focus
“You don’t need a 15-channel marketing strategy.”

Founders often feel pressure to be everywhere: LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, Substack, SEO, podcasts. But Aakash recommends mastering one channel first.

Why it works:
– It forces focus.
– You learn what resonates faster.
– You build deeper relationships.

For Aakash, that channel was LinkedIn. He obsessed over it. Studied the algorithm. Posted consistently. And it worked.
Tip: Choose one distribution channel and dominate it. Don’t move on until it’s working.

Talk to Your Readers Like a PM Talks to Users
“Use product fundamentals: talk to subscribers, talk to churned users.”

Just like you’d interview users during product discovery, you should interview:
– New subscriber
– Loyal readers
– People who unsubscribed

Ask: What do they want? What’s missing? Why did they stay or leave?
Why it matters:
Audience building is product building. The feedback loop is the same. You’re shipping content instead of code.

Newsletter as a Product: Retention > Reach
It’s tempting to chase followers. But Aakash focused on retaining the right audience.
“Better to have 1,000 loyal readers than 10,000 drive-bys.”
How?
– Consistent posting schedule
– High-signal insights
– Personal stories that build trust

He treated the newsletter like a product with real users. He analyzed open rates, click-throughs, and unsubscribes like a PM monitors feature usage.

Monetization: Start Simple, Then Layer
“You don’t need to monetize on day one. But start thinking about it early.”

Aakash started monetizing by:
– Offering paid templates and swipe files
– Running cohort-based courses
– Partnering on sponsorships

But the key? Every offer was audience-driven. He didn’t sell until readers asked for it.
Lesson: Build trust first. Monetization follows naturally if you’re solving real problems.

Systematize Your Growth
“Growth compounds. But only if you’re consistent.”

Aakash didn’t grow by going viral. He grew by showing up every day. His playbook:
– Post 3x/week on LinkedIn
– Recycle ideas across newsletter and threads
– Use analytics to double down on hits

He treated growth like a product roadmap track what works, test new things, and iterate weekly.

Final Takeaways: Think Like a Product Manager
If you want to grow an audience in 2024, take a lesson from product managers:
– Know your niche (market of one)
– Talk to your users (subscribers)
– Focus on one distribution channel
– Track retention, not just reach
– Launch tiny experiments

Whether you’re shipping software or shipping content, the mindset is the same: validate, iterate, and serve your audience.

Want more insights like this? Subscribe to the Product Founder podcast and get weekly interviews with product leaders, founders, and creators who are building legendary products.

Enjoyed this post? You might also like some of our other deep dives with top product thinkers:
1) What Did It Take to Create the First AI-Powered Design Tool? | Tony Beltramelli
2) The Secret structure behind strong Product Teams | Phil Hornby

🧵 If you found this valuable, share it with your team or repost to help other builders!