"Product operations is an important function within product organizations. PLA was the first event partner to recognize this" - Greg Bayer

Discover the thrilling experience of being a speaker in the Product-Led Alliance community.

At PLA, we understand the significance of delivering top-of-the-line knowledge to our community directly from trailblazers in their fields. We’re lucky to have the absolute best speakers gracing our virtual and in-person events.

But have you ever wondered what it's truly like to be a speaker at a PLA event?

We had the privilege of catching up with Greg Bayer, Product Leader at Silver Ridge Advisors. We got the inside scoop on what he gained from speaking at one of our PLA events and his key takeaways from his experience.

In this case study, he discusses:

• Why he decided to be a speaker at a PLA event
• What the event’s main benefits were for him as a speaker
• The key outcomes for him
• What value he wanted to bring to the product community with his session, and if he thinks he was able to achieve that
• Why other product pros should take advantage and present at future Product-Led Alliance events
• What other parts of the Product-Led Alliance he's a part of, and how this has benefited him

Q: Why did you decide to be a speaker at a PLA event?

A: Product operations is an important and emerging function within product organizations. PLA was the first event partner to recognize this and brought together a large community of product and ops managers both virtually and live in NY at this conference.

I was thrilled to speak and share my experiences from Thomson Reuters as it gave me an opportunity to network with others who are working through similar issues.

Q: What were the event’s main benefits for you as a speaker?

A: It was the first live event I had been to for some time, so to be able to present to an audience, get their immediate reaction and then follow up throughout the event in person was invaluable.

Q: What were the key outcomes for you?

A: I was thrilled to discover a network of professionals in NYC who are equally passionate about product operations and its impact on their organizations.

Everyone had a different angle to what they do and why, so hearing stories and examples helped broaden my knowledge. I remain in touch with a number of folks I met at the event and continue to stay in touch.

Q: What value did you want to bring to the product community with your session? And do you think you were able to achieve that?

A: While at Thomson Reuters, I was in a highly complex product organization going through a heavy transformation. I wanted to share my experience, what I learned, and see how it could apply to others going through similar moments.

The session definitely resonated and surfaced many good ideas and examples on how product teams can be more effective and how to take into account where the company and products are in their lifecycle.

Q: Why should other product pros take advantage and present at future Product-Led Alliance events?

A: There's nothing like getting together in person with others who are like-minded and truly looking to learn more about their area of discipline. Sharing experiences and talking through different scenarios outside of your day-to-day office walls is critical to how we get better at what we do.

Q: What other parts of the Product-Led Alliance are you a part of (for example, the Slack community or the PLA blog), and how has this benefited you?

A: I'm a part of the Slack community and have just started to contribute to the blog. It's great to reconnect with former colleagues on Slack and have a very broad community to share open job roles and topical questions with.

Want to connect? Join the PLA Product-ops Slack channel to share your experiences and get involved with other pros in the industry. ✌️

Thirsty for more knowledge? Sign up for our Product Operations Certified course today. Push your limits to be the best in product ops around.