Institute of Product Leadership

Confused to Confident Product Leader: Divya Chethan's Leap of Faith

Imagine pouring two decades of your life into mastering a craft, only to find yourself standing at the foot of a new, intimidating mountain.

A few years ago, Divya took a bold leap. She co-founded Crex, an AI-powered platform designed to make hiring global talent simple. With her deep domain knowledge, she and her team launched a product that worked. And it worked well. So well, in fact, that a new problem emerged.

As more and more users flocked to Crex, Divya realized their initial, homespun approach wasn’t going to cut it. The platform needed a formal, structured product strategy to scale. The writing was on the wall: they needed a product management expert.

But Divya didn’t just want to hire one; she felt a pull to become one. There was just one snag.

“I didn’t know where to get started,” she admits. “I come from a complete non-tech background, and as a novice to product management, I was very confused.”

It was a classic case of the dreaded “imposter syndrome” that so many aspiring leaders face. Right when she felt stuck, a senior colleague pointed her toward the Institute of Product Leadership (IPL).

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    A Turning Point, Not Just a Course

    For Divya, choosing a program wasn’t about getting a certificate; it was about finding a genuine path forward. Three things about IPL stood out and convinced her it was the right fit.

    1. More Than Just a Manual: As an entrepreneur wearing multiple hats, Divya needed more than just theory. “The curriculum promised a solid grounding in product management fundamentals,” she shares, “but it also covered key leadership skills.” It was the perfect blend of the “what” and the “how” that she needed for her role.
    2. Learning by Actually Doing: This was the game-changer. “This is something that I did not find in other courses,” Divya emphasizes. IPL’s model wasn’t about passively listening to lectures. It demanded active participation. “It required a lot more hard work,” she acknowledges, but the payoff was huge. “What you actually learn sticks because you end up implementing it through your own experience.”
    3. Real Mentors, Not Just Lecturers: The chance to learn directly from seasoned industry leaders was a massive plus. Divya wasn’t just a face in a crowd; she could schedule one-on-one sessions, ask tough questions, and get guidance from people who had been in her shoes.

    The 'Aha!' Moment That Changed Everything

    This post graduate program in management didn’t just give Divya new skills; it fundamentally rewired her thinking.

    “It triggered first-principles thinking in me,” she explains. “Basically, questioning our basic assumptions, asking the right questions, and rethinking the solution from the ground up.”

    This new mindset wasn’t just an academic exercise. It had an immediate and powerful impact back at Crex. Armed with this new way of thinking, she was able to make “a lot of course corrections internally” and instill the same strategic discipline in her team.

    She recalls tackling a particularly complex invoicing module. Before, the task felt daunting. But now? “The whole structure I learned at IPL helped me a lot in terms of strategizing that entire module.” What was once a source of confusion became a clear, conquerable challenge.

    It's Not Just About the Product, It's About People

    Beyond the strategic frameworks and technical know-how, the journey was deeply personal. Divya found herself “rediscovering myself as a student, getting out of my comfort zone, and interacting with my cohort.”

    She lit up when talking about working on capstone projects and presenting them. “This whole concept of storytelling,” she says, “bringing the whole learning to life, is a great experience.”

    But the most profound lesson was one that now sits at the heart of her work: The customer comes first. Always.

    “Keeping the customer at the core of whatever you’re building is key,” Divya shares. This meant learning the hard lesson of “ruthless prioritization” and, sometimes, “letting go of a pet idea that you thought would be a wow idea.” The only question that mattered was: will this make a real difference to the customer?

    executive mba in product management

    Don't Wait to Feel Ready

    For anyone standing at the same crossroads she was, wondering if they have what it takes to transition into product, Divya’s advice is both simple and powerful.

    She strongly recommends IPL not just as a course, but as an “all-encompassing” ecosystem that teaches you everything from building a product to marketing it and managing stakeholders. “It all really boils down to how well you’re able to leverage this,” she advises, whether you’re starting a new venture or looking to upskill in your current role.

    But her final piece of advice is the one that truly resonates. It’s for anyone hesitating, waiting for the “perfect” moment to make their move.

    “I would say don’t wait to feel ready for it. If you’re already thinking about it, you’re already ready to take the plunge.”

    Institute of Product Leadership is Asia’s First Business School providing accredited degree programs and certification courses exclusively in Product Management, Strategy, and Leadership.
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