EDITOR’S NOTE:
Reni Dimitrova is Sr. PM at Deliveroo, an international online food delivery platform that connects consumers with local restaurants and grocers through a fleet of delivery riders.
In under 500 words, she shares:
How she got into product management…
How she starts her mornings for maximum productivity…
Some lessons from her biggest product management failures…
And more…
Enjoy!

“How did you get into product management?”
Prior to product, I worked in media and advertising where I learned a lot about how digital platforms are being monetized and the technical infrastructure behind it. My first role in product was as a monetization PM creating new revenue streams across app and web. Later in my product career, I moved over to streaming, then retail and food delivery.
“How do you start your mornings at work?”
No morning is the same. If there is any pattern to it at all, it is probably that I prefer early starts. I use this time to review my priorities for the day, sort out my calendar (ruthlessly removing any unnecessary meetings), and send out important comms. At the end of each week, I set out my goals for the next so that on Monday morning I can hit the ground running.
“What do you know about product management now that you wish you’d known when you first started?”
Products rarely exist in a vacuum. It is critical to align the long-term vision for your space with the rest of the product org and the wider business. Clear long-form written documents and storytelling are powerful ways to rally people around a shared vision and influence decisions.
You will never have the entire domain knowledge required so aim to create an environment where great things can happen. A truly engaged, skilled, and empowered cross-functional team is what takes a product to the next level. Lean on the experts in each discipline and partner closely with business stakeholders. Don’t forget that your value lies in providing clarity, and vision and helping the team find opportunities for greater impact.
“What did your biggest product failure teach you?”
Always better to over-communicate than assume an implicit understanding
Pre-align stakeholders around the core problems and pillars of your strategy
Avoid the analysis-paralysis trap
These practices help you minimize organizational tension, keep everyone’s eyes ‘on the prize’, and deliver real value to your customers quicker.
“What’s the #1 thing that has helped you shorten your product management learning curve?”
Finding the right mentor.
“How do you stay updated on the best practices in product management?”
In addition to the well-known industry podcasts and newsletters, I try to connect with and learn from fellow PMs. Both colleagues and peers I meet through networking events who share experience and learnings from the challenges they faced.