From Cloud Engineer to Product Manager: My Journey

5 MINS

# From Cloud Engineer to Product Manager: My Journey

My path to product management wasn't the traditional MBA-to-PM route. I started as a Cloud Engineer, training developers on AWS, before realizing that my passion lay in understanding what to build, not just how to build it.

The Technical Foundation

As a Cloud Technology Trainer at getINNOtized GmbH, I trained over 100 students across 4 cohorts in cloud computing. We achieved a 90% pass rate on AWS certifications, which taught me something important: technical knowledge alone doesn't create great products.

What I observed:

Students struggled not with the technology, but with understanding why certain architectures mattered

The best explanations connected technical concepts to real business problems

Empathy for the learner was as important as technical accuracy This insight planted the seed for my transition to product management.

The Bridge: Cloud Engineering

My time as a Cloud Engineer at Molaprise gave me hands-on experience implementing the infrastructure I had been teaching. Working with AWS services, cybersecurity frameworks, and distributed teams showed me the gap between what developers need and what they're given.

Key realizations:

Developers often build with incomplete context about user needs

Technical decisions made without product thinking create debt

Great infrastructure enables great products, but doesn't guarantee them I found myself asking "why" more often than "how." That's when I knew I needed to move into product.

Making the Transition

Joining Rima AI (YC S22) as a Product Manager was my leap. It was challenging but validated my hypothesis: technical depth is a superpower for PMs.

What my background brought:

Credibility with engineers : I could discuss architecture and tradeoffs meaningfully

User empathy from teaching : I understood how developers think and struggle

Systems thinking : Cloud training taught me to see how components interact

Advice for Technical Professionals Considering PM

If you're an engineer, architect, or trainer thinking about product management:

1. Start asking "why"

Don't just accept requirements. Understand the user problem behind every feature request. This mindset shift is the foundation of product thinking.

2. Embrace the ambiguity

Engineering has clear right answers. Product management often doesn't. Get comfortable making decisions with incomplete information.

3. Your technical depth is an asset

Don't hide your technical background. It helps you understand constraints, ask better questions, and build trust with engineering teams.

4. Find transition opportunities

Startups often need PMs who can bridge technical and business conversations. That's where technical backgrounds shine.

Looking Forward

Today, I combine my cloud expertise with product thinking to build developer experience products. My technical journey wasn't a detour; it was essential preparation for understanding what developers truly need.

The path from technical roles to product isn't always linear, but the skills transfer more than people realize.

What Teaching 100+ Developers Taught Me About Building Products

Nana skipped presentations and built real AI products.

Nana Adjoa Anim was part of the November 2025 cohort at Curious PM, alongside 20 other talented participants.