Welcome to Beyond the Backlog!

Hi, I’m Cam — welcome to Beyond the Backlog!

After years of building products, leading cross-functional teams, and learning the ins and outs of product management, I decided to start this blog as a place to share what I’ve learned — and what I’m still learning — about the craft of product management.

I’ve spent my career at the intersection of technology, law, and product management. My journey hasn’t been a straight line: I started as a lawyer, spent time as a legal recruiter, pivoted into software engineering, and eventually found my true calling in product management. Today, I work as a Group Product Manager at Ontra, where I lead teams building AI-driven legal tools for Private Markets professionals. 

Why start a blog?

I’ve learned that product management is a craft you never stop learning. It’s a discipline that lives at the crossroads of strategy, execution, and empathy. Every day as a PM brings new questions:

• How do we prioritize what will truly drive impact, not just output?
• How do we create products that people love and that drive business results?
• How do we lead teams with clarity, honesty, and trust?

I’ve had the privilege of working on AI/ML initiatives, developing and launching 0 to 1 products, and growing existing products, and along the way I’ve navigated:

• Growing from individual contributor PM to leading multiple product teams
• Learning how to align engineers, designers, ML engineers, data scientists, and stakeholders around shared outcomes
• Shaping priorities that balance innovation with the reality of limited resources
• Coaching other PMs to develop their own judgment, confidence, and leadership

This blog will be my space to share the lessons, frameworks, and stories that have shaped me as a product leader.

What You Can Expect Here

Here’s what I’ll be writing about:

1. Product Strategy & Decision-Making

• How to turn vision into actionable roadmaps
• Making prioritization calls when everything feels important

2. AI & Technology in Product Management

• Real-world lessons from building AI-powered legal tech products
• How PMs can navigate emerging tech without the hype

3. Leadership & Team Dynamics

• Managing cross-functional teams with clarity and trust
• Coaching and developing other product managers

4. Reflections and Learnings

• Reflections on the day-to-day
• Stories of experiments that worked — and the ones that didn’t

Go Beyond the Backlog With Me!

I’m a firm believer that sharing knowledge makes us all better. Writing is also a way for me to:

• Reflect on my own experiences and refine my thinking
• Give back to PMs who are earlier in their journey
• Start conversations with other product managers and leaders

If you’re a PM, aspiring PM, or just someone who loves thinking about how products are built, I hope this blog will give you insights, frameworks, and maybe even a few “I’ve been there” moments.

Thanks for stopping by — I’m excited to share this journey with you! 🚀

— Cam