Discovering My Passion for Product Management and Landing My First Role While Navigating the Loss of My Sister

Her sister saw Product Management in her before she fully saw it in herself. That encouragement led Deborah Hart to the Women Techsters programs, where a new career ambition unfolded alongside one of the most difficult losses of her life.

My name is Deborah Hart, and a conversation with my sister introduced me to a career path I had not previously considered.

While transitioning from Customer Service into technology, my sister suggested Product Management, believing that my passion for solving problems and advocating for users, combined with my background in Information Technology, made it a natural fit for me. And so, I joined the Women Techsters Bootcamp to explore this new path.

Within about two weeks, I had completely fallen in love with Product Management. I became certain that this was the career I wanted to pursue, and after completing the Bootcamp, I applied for the Women Techsters Fellowship, as I was determined to take the next step.

The Fellowship was an intensive experience, especially because I was also working a full-time job at the time. During my Fellowship interview, I remember I was asked how I planned to balance both commitments, and my response was simple: I would do whatever it took to follow my dreams. Eventually, I resigned from my job, and while the decision was not entirely because of the Fellowship, my commitment to the program and my career transition was a significant part of it. I knew I needed to give myself the opportunity to fully pursue the future I wanted.

A few months into the Fellowship, I experienced one of the most painful moments of my life. I lost my sister, one of the most important people in my life and the person who had encouraged me to consider Product Management in the first place. Losing her while I was in the middle of such an important transition was incredibly difficult. I honestly do not know where I found the strength to continue, but somehow, I did.

Despite everything I was going through, I remained committed to completing the Fellowship and building the career I had begun to pursue. About two months before graduating from the program, I secured my first role as a Product Manager. It was a significant milestone for me because it showed that the effort, sacrifices, and persistence I had put into my transition were beginning to create real opportunities.

Looking back, I am most proud that I did not quit, even during one of the most difficult seasons of my life. And Tech4Dev did more than help me transition into technology; it gave me the opportunity to discover what I was capable of and to take a chance on myself.