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Vinita Parasher – Product Manager, HealthFirst Technologies
I am Vinita Parasher. I have over 15 years of work experience, my journey began as a developer initially, and now I am working as a Product Manager Early on, I worked in service companies, including Dell Services. At one point, I began to notice the differences between services and products. That curiosity changed my career path.
This article is all about my career transition from a technical and analytical background to product management. I’ll discuss what motivated me to change, how I developed the necessary abilities, and the lessons I discovered.
My career started when I was a developer, after which I got the opportunity to step into the world of business analysis. I had the chance to work on ERP tools and RPA for industries like healthcare and manufacturing. My occupation in these positions exposed me to various domains and their applicable technologies. Even as a business analyst at a senior level, I had very limited knowledge about how things worked on the product side. When I was assigned to the first product project team, it struck me how contrarily products were from services. The procedures, standards, and everyday work were all elements that I felt were completely unknown to me.
The real turning point was when I moved to a product company. At Theta, I worked on a payments product that included e-invoicing and an exchange platform. That project sparked my interest. I wanted to understand what sets services and products apart. After I got acquainted with product work so deeply, I was still very far from being enough.
I started with a CBA course to build a base in product principles. In 2020, I joined a program at MIT University in Pune. Going back to the classroom after years in corporate life was refreshing. I could connect what I was learning with my past experience while seeing how students approached projects.
The program gave me new tools and frameworks. It shifted my perspective and showed me different ways to approach product challenges. That helped me move beyond the limited view I had earlier.
Being in a university setting again was valuable. The students’ ways of learning and implementing projects into reality made me ponder about my own pattern of transformation for the next stage of my career. I got to meet new people and got exposed to more industry trends.
Now I am a Product Manager. The complete product lifecycle from the initial concept up to the final delivery is covered by my role. The structured course and hands-on experience gave me the confidence for this position.
The biggest lesson I learned is the need for clarity. Before making a transition, ask yourself what you really want. Programs and courses can help, but your own direction matters most.
My advice for anyone moving into product roles:
“According to ValuesPost, product management roles have grown by 25% annually over the past five years, and 70% of companies expect demand for product managers to increase in the next five years.”
I transitioned from business analysis to product management through my curiosity and deliberate learning. Going back to study gave me clarity and practical skills. Moreover, if someone is interested in resolving customer issues, then product management can be a great career option.
Vinita Parasher has worked in technology for more than 15 years as a product manager. She has experience in ERP, RPA, healthcare, and manufacturing in development, business analysis, and product ownership roles. She believes in establishing specific career goals and lifelong learning.
