Thoughtworker Spotlight: Samantha Pramanick
Samantha Pramanick is a versatile product builder and cross-functional collaborator who delivers successful, user-focused products with her strategic and team-oriented approach. As a Senior Product Manager, she navigates a remote-first world with finesse, adaptability and resilience.??
How did she transition from a background in nanotechnology engineering and software development to the world of product management? Explore her Spotlight to discover how her experience building an app used by millions shaped her path, and how Sam continues to stay true to her values in product management.
Outside of her product manager duties, you can still find Sam working with her hands, pursuing right brain exercises and staying active. When she is not soaking in the Toronto sun, you can find her diligently woodworking, baking, weight-lifting and more. What do you think her favourite product is? Hint: it fuels one of her hobbies and has incredible accessibility features. Learn more in this week’s Thoughtworker Spotlight!
Tell us about what you do in 50 words or less.
I am a product manager, so my role varies greatly based on the client and project I’m working on. Though the industry and problem space may change, one consistent part of the job is collaborating very closely with cross functional teams (engineers, designers, researchers and stakeholders) to build user-focused technology products.
What’s the most interesting challenge you're working on?
One of the toughest challenges I am navigating is how to be an effective product manager (PM) in a remote-first world. Some challenges while being fully remote include balancing team morale high, maintaining a strong connection with the team and mission, along with finding balance between efficiency and joy in the workday. While these are not unique challenges, they require us to reframe the way we’ve approached work in the past, which is an ongoing and complex process for me.?
What inspired you to have the career you have today??
As a nanotechnology engineering student, job prospects in that field were slim to none when I graduated. Leveraging my software development experience from internships, I decided to pursue the technology industry as a consultant.?
Early in my career, I had the opportunity to build an app from scratch, now used by millions of people in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) everyday. It was through this experience where I learned about the role of a product manager, prompting me to desperately start applying to PM positions at the product companies I loved most.?
I knew that I wanted to keep building cool products for everyday people, so when I had the chance to join Thoughtworks (Connected at the time) as a PM, it was a no brainer.?
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What achievement are you most proud of in your career to date?
I am most proud of getting to where I am today by staying true to myself. As a quieter, more introverted person, I’ve been told at various points in my career that I don’t seem as excited, passionate, or eager to please as I should in my role.?
Compromising my personality and my values in order to have a successful career has never been an option for me, so I am proud of myself and grateful to those who could see past the superficial, and recognize the contribution I can make to my teams.???
If you could go back in time and give yourself career advice, what would it be??
Stop trying to do everything on your own, and find a community to lean on when you are feeling stuck.
What do you love to do outside of work?
Despite my desk job, I am happiest when doing something active and shutting my left-brain off (I always tell people I love manual labour, which they take as a joke. It isn’t!). This could be anything like lifting weights, cooking, baking something super fancy, doing a new woodworking project or throwing ceramics. The list could go on forever.?
Beyond that, the greatest simple joys in my life are reading, listening to records, running around in the sun and spending time with the people I love.??
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what album, movie, and book would you take with you?
Album – Food and Liquor by Lupe Fiasco
Movie – Princess Mononoke
And finally, what’s your favorite product and why?
My Kobo e-reader! I love to read and not only can I not leave the house without a book, my bookshelves reached maximum capacity years ago. My Kobo allows me to borrow e-books from the library. It’s also super compact, perfect for travel and I truly cannot say enough positive things about how incredible its accessibility features are.