Maggie Bean is a Product Marketing Manager at SmartBear, a software company that provides tools to improve software quality and streamline processes for developers, testers, and operations engineers.

Maggie also hosts the New to Product Marketing podcast, which explores what new and aspiring product marketers need to know about launching a successful product marketing career.

How did you find out about PMA?

I discovered PMA through Google as I was new to the field, so started researching what aspect of marketing I wanted to specialize in.

I really was looking for something that was a combination of creativity and strategy, and after a quick search online, product marketing popped up. I found so many helpful resources from PMA, which helped to enhance my knowledge of product marketing.

Tell us about your podcast

My podcast, “New to Product Marketing” is essentially an interview-style podcast taking a look at the perspectives of somebody who’s just broken into product marketing like myself, or someone who’s relatively new to the trade. 

The first season was all about interviewing peers who’ve just broken into PMM-ing themselves, as well as experts on their journey. I wanted a key focus to be on the human side of product marketing. 

Combined with my expertise, the podcast grew and became more specialized and specific along the way, going into everything from content themes and what to do in your first 30 to 90 days to collaborating with different teams and mastering market research. The podcast dived deeper into different PMM functions as my personal experience grew.

The overall style was very much like “coffee chats” – super informal and casual so it has an “accessible” feel for people who may not have a highly extensive PMM background. For me, that’s the key differentiator.

Why did a partnership with PMA stand out above market alternatives?

PMA offers so much support and flexibility, and I felt independent working with the team as they supported me in whatever way I thought made the most sense with my audience, and were super receptive to my ideas.

It’s such a compliment to partner with PMA as they have so much content – particularly courses – and I’m already recommending them to people! 

It's also provided an opportunity for me to broaden my reach in the community. During season two I doubled my views and my listener count. Which is truly impressive. PMA was able to amplify my reach and put me in front of more people for collaborations.

Did you find any advantages in being a part of PMA's community?

Yeah for sure. PMA  serves a lot of new product marketers with their course content, but then they also have a wealth of content for those with more experience, and a huge following – and my podcast is a quick pull, too. So the partnership was a natural fit. 

We target a niche audience, and it’s an audience that we share, so I think that it’s been super beneficial on both sides.


What benefits or advantages did you gain from the sponsoring partnership?

Brand exposure is the biggest advantage. Everyone on team PMA has always been supportive and shared my content on the likes of LinkedIn, which is a really big thing for me. 

I did some live podcasting for PMA at the PMA Summit 2022, so it was great to see loads of different opportunities where I could get in front of even more people and creatively collaborate.

Were there any successful or memorable moments during PMA's sponsorship?

The most memorable or successful moment, in my opinion, has been the live podcasting.

I’d love to highlight this as it’s a great opportunity – to get in front of all these people – the energy of the PMA Summits in Boston is incredible, and it’s great to have that to-face experience and be able to meet different people there, and, as I said, the opportunity to collaborate on my podcast. 

As an online creator, you have a lot of conversations with people online, but you don't typically get that face-to-face element. So that was invaluable.

Did this podcast sponsorship help you achieve your goals?

I was highly effective. As I mentioned, for my second season, I almost doubled my listenership.

My objective was to get in front of more people to provide value for my audience and support those breaking into product marketing. This helped immeasurably. 

What would you say to fellow PMMs considering building their own podcast?

When building your personal brand, being an influencer, or a content creator, essentially providing value to others and resonating, it’s important to find your unique voice and your niche in the space. 

If you’re passionate and it comes from a genuine place, building your own podcast can be so rewarding. When you start your podcast, ask yourself this question – what problem am I solving? 

To add, it can be intimidating to some people – especially women or people of color – people who don't historically see themselves as the face of podcasts. Also, it can be tough if you’ve only just put your foot through the door of product marketing – as a young person who’s new to the field, it can be a struggle.

Mary Sheehan’s podcast – Women in Product Marketing – truly inspired me. I think if I didn't have her I probably would’ve been a little hesitant to start my podcast. So, being part of a community really helps you realize that your voice is valuable, and, whatever your experience, people can benefit from hearing about your journey. 

As a content creator, starting your own podcast can be a lonely experience, too, in the sense that you’re a single person with a single idea. Being able to partner with organizations like PMA turns that would-be lonely experience into one where you can seamlessly collaborate, grow your audience, and take advantage of the support in order to bring your ideas to life at a greater speed. 

For me, partnering with PMA was a no-brainer. So, if you have the opportunity, I’d definitely recommend it.

Keen to find a partner for your podcast? 

As Maggie said, it can be tough to get your podcast off the ground. What helps? A little support from an experienced product marketing org with a bustling community. 

We’re always on the lookout to help PMMs who’re keen to share their knowledge and provide invaluable insights into the world of product marketing.

So, if you’re a product marketing pro and want to be a guest host or star in your own show, feel free to get in touch with Stevie at stevie.rose@pmmalliance.com.