“It was such a profound learning moment for me.”

Emmanuel Nwosu is an early-stage product and growth marketing professional and self-proclaimed “SaaS geek” who's led two successful product launches.

At the moment, he works as a Growth SEO Manager at Palremit where he is collaborating with a great team to transform the financial experience for thousands, and soon-to-be millions, of Africans currently experiencing currency crisis and ushering them into the global financial economy that has previously excluded them – aiding his personal quest to bring products that make humanity better to limelight.

After hearing about Product Marketing Alliance’s PMM Scholar Program to expand on his product marketing expertise, he decided to sign up.

In this case study, Emmanuel tells us:

How did you find out about the PMM Scholar Program?

I found out about the PMA Scholar program through a friend. We’d previously completed a workshop together where we both worked on different teams and at the time, we would always joke about how we wanted to become product marketers but didn't know how. The prices of premium courses we found at the time were off the roof. So, we knew we needed a better way in.

What was your motivation for enrolling in this program?

Last year, I stumbled upon the term “Product Marketing” and got really curious. Before this, I’d been working in specialist roles like email marketing and SEO. But as soon as I discovered product marketing, I got the conviction that this was something I wanted to do for a long time.

So, I started taking micro introductory courses here and there. I found Richard King’s “Product Marketing Foundations” and totally enjoyed the introductory masterclass he gave. As a result, I started looking for product marketing boot camps to join to get that hands-on experience. At the time, I found PMA’s PMM program and started planning how to save up money to enroll in that course.

But luckily, I saw the post my friend (from the workshop) made on LinkedIn announcing her PMA PMM certificate. I remember reaching out to congratulate her and also tease her a bit for paying quite an expensive price for that course.

Then she hit me with the news, “Emmanuel, this was a scholarship from PMA.” I guess you can imagine how excited I got! I asked her for the details to apply, and she gave them all out, withholding nothing. She was also helpful in reviewing my application and that was how I got into the Q4 2023 cohort.

What did you enjoy most about the PMM Scholar Program?

I enjoyed the workshops and discussions I had with my fellow scholars throughout the program. One of my favorite discussions was on Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy. I enjoyed the breakout session because I uncovered so many insights from my colleagues based on their different experiences leading, and/or being part of product launches. It was such a profound learning moment for me, and to date, I still use some advice I got from that discussion.

Another thing I enjoyed doing about the PMM scholar program was the exercises. I got to do a bunch of stuff and these practical exercises helped confirm the theory I had about wanting to do product marketing long-term.

Which topic have you found the most insightful and useful?

Oh, this is a tough one. Do I really have to choose? 😀

If I really had to choose, I’d say I enjoyed the courses on GTM because of the discussions I had with my colleagues and our mentor, Div Manickam. The discussions were just so wholesome.

On a close second, I’d credit that to the entire section we did on research. For me, I think market research is an important part of the marketing process that affects everything marketing is about – irrespective of your industry. And I'd been doing market research wrong. So, it was refreshing to learn a different way - a better way – to do qualitative and quantitative research.

In fact, I put this knowledge to good use recently when I worked with a founder to build their ultimate GTM campaign. So far, they've launched, and the results are exceeding expectations.

What type of resources/activities have you found the most helpful?

I found the practical tasks and breakout sessions most helpful because those were the crucial times I both got to learn through my lenses, and through the lenses of others who have varying experience in the product marketing industry.

How have you utilized the resources or your learnings in your work?

I've recently utilized the GTM template provided in the course in a campaign I worked on. Also, I studied the research principles provided in the course, and it all came out well. We were able to find a market fit for our product, and this helped us a lot to define our positioning.

Has this program helped you to network? If so, how, and have you built any new connections?

Oh certainly! I've made good friends both in and outside of the program. I've not quite collaborated with any of my colleagues yet, but I still keep in touch with some of them through LinkedIn.

And I have a big project underway slated for 2025, where I'm hoping to collaborate with some of my former colleagues (Big hush hush on that one…). 😀

Has there been a specific instance where the PMM Scholar Program has helped you overcome a professional challenge?

When I worked on that GTM plan I talked about, I mean, the resources from PMM were a huge help. There was a point I needed inspiration for drawing up the positioning rulebook, and frankly, I was stuck trying to figure things out.

So, I looked through some materials I'd downloaded from PMA, and they helped me out - big time. For example, I used the mapping process highlighted in those materials to create a product differentiation strategy. And this came in handy because we were going after a competitive market. So, that really helped.

How do you see the value of this program in comparison to other professional programs you're part of?

Well, I haven't taken any other professional course or program on product marketing. So, the PMM program is still my first and only experience. Like I said, I'd taken short courses in the past but nothing was close to what the PMM Scholar Program was.

It was more granular, had all the support elements, and it was a good springboard to get me off. I'm not sure there are many quality programs for early-stage PMMs out there now.

What would you say to fellow product marketing professionals considering enrolling in PMA’s PMM Scholar Program?

It’s absolutely worth it! If, like me, you’re fascinated by product marketing and don't know how to break into this profession, then the PMM scholar program is the right place to start.

To anybody reading this, if you're confused about what product marketing is all about, and you don't really have the resources to pay for more expensive programs or boot camps, or the time to waste around, then try the PMM scholar program. I 100% recommend it.

Apply to be in our next cohort!

Twice a year, we open the doors to 25 new or aspiring product marketers and put them through a part-time, 12-week program. By the end, you’ll have all the knowledge, tools, and training needed to start a successful career in product marketing.

But it doesn’t stop there. By being part of our Scholar Program, you’ll automatically be put in front of leading hiring companies, primed to kickstart your career in style.

What you get when you’re accepted:

🔖 Product marketing certification (providing you pass the exams)

👩‍💻 Live, weekly workshops with industry leaders

✅ Marked, practical tasks to test your learning

👣 A platform to build your personal portfolio

🌎 Exposure to some of the world’s biggest brands

🔥 Official accreditation from the industry’s go-to association (aka, us!)

🆓 All of the above for free (worth $3,500 RRP)

Apply for scholarship

“It was such a profound learning moment for me.” PMM Scholar Program with Emmanuel Nwosu