Let’s be honest—every product marketing manager dreams of having a hand in shaping the product roadmap. But what’s the secret to actually getting a seat at that roadmap table? It all starts with trust.

Today, I’ve got the perfect blueprint for you, thanks to our special guest—Sheryl Li, the brilliant product marketing leader at Confluent. Sheryl isn’t just any PMM. From turning her science fair win into an asteroid named by MIT (yes, seriously!) to spearheading game-changing projects at Twilio and Confluent, her story is incredibly inspiring. Sheryl’s scientific mindset—think curiosity, experimentation, and pattern recognition—has become her superpower in crafting killer product strategies.

Drawing from her experiences at both Twilio and Confluent, Sheryl reveals her methodical approach to boosting product adoption through deep customer understanding and cross-functional collaboration. She emphasizes the critical role of trust-building with product partners and the importance of maintaining regular dialogues with product and data science teams, especially in consumption-based pricing models. Through her work with Confluent's cloud connectors, Sheryl demonstrates how combining investigative research with strategic storytelling can drive meaningful product improvements.

The episode concludes with an analysis of two fascinating case studies: Apple's Dynamic Island feature marketing and Dust's approach to AI messaging. These examples showcase how different companies, from established tech giants to emerging startups, can craft compelling narratives that resonate with their target audience while maintaining clear differentiation in crowded markets.

Key Takeaways:

• Build trust with product partners through consistent collaboration and shared ownership
• Maintain regular check-ins with product and data science teams to monitor adoption metrics
• Use customer interviews to craft compelling narratives that influence product strategy
• Follow up with customers to maintain relationships and gather ongoing feedback
• Transform technical features into customer-centric stories that drive engagement
• Balance innovation with clear, focused messaging that cuts through market noise

Resources mentioned:

Apple Dynamic Island Feature video: https://youtu.be/rFB7uSgFEsY

Dust AI: https://dust.tt/

Connect with Sheryl:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisheryl/

Connect with Elle:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elle3izabeth/