Accelerate your career in Tech through upskilling, mentorship and community

Why We Started The Commons

Careers are no longer static ladders to climb. They’re dynamic, non-linear and 100x more exciting. Yet today’s education institutions are built for yesterday’s careers.
MBAs and masters degrees are expensive, time consuming and taught by academics with outdated content. Online courses lack job context, are lonely and lack accountability. And networking too often feels transactional and awkward.

To catalyze your career, you need to combine relevant education, thoughtful relationship building and access to opportunities.

So we built a new learning model that delivers education, mentorship and community together to advance your career in tech - whether that’s exploring and landing your next role, landing a promotion, or performing better in your current role.

Our Approach & Outcomes

We’re laser focused on business roles in tech
You’ll learn what you need to know from who you need to know (our mentors who work in tech), while gaining access to an ambitious and engaged global community of business + tech professionals, driving real impact to your career.

How we deliver impact to our members...
92
%
of participants said they learned new skills and concepts
100
%
of participants said they feel more confident about their understanding of Product through The Commons
92
%
of participants would recommend The Commons to a friend

The Product Sprint

What You'll Learn

Build critical skills tailored for
Product roles in Tech

We built this Sprint in collaboration with Product mentors at Google, Uber, Tonal, and Spotify so that you learn what you need to thrive in those roles today.

Here’s some of the key topics you’ll cover together:
Product Vision
Defining North Star Metrics / OKRs
Roadmap Planning
Market Analysis
User Personas
Prioritization Frameworks
Product Feature Launch
Experimentation & Roll-Out
PRDs and Launch Plans
Journey Mapping
Learn like you would on-the-job
Build skills in the most practical way. You’ll learn new skills in live workshops with industry mentors and then apply those skills to a project, resulting in higher uptake and retention.

Receive weekly feedback and career coaching from your mentor. A rapid feedback cycle, directly from mentors who work in tech, enables you to level up quickly so that you can deliver more impact on the job or nail your next interview.
You’re a member of the Product team at a HealthTech company (like Headspace, ClassPass or Strava)
You'll define the company's product vision, create a roadmap, draft a product requirement document and prioritize a feature list. You'll gain a holistic view of product and learn from mentors in product management and product operations.
Who This Is For
Professionals join The Commons from both tech and non-tech backgrounds, to hone critical skills relevant for today’s roles in tech, while building an impactful network.
Here’s who should join this Sprint:
Tech Pivoters
to make their pivot more effective and efficient
Professionals who want to expedite their pivot into tech by building tangible skills, tackling problems that double as interview prep, building their network, tapping into an exclusive job board and meeting hiring managers.
Common Profiles:
Project Management
Product Owner
Finance
Consulting
Customer Success
Marketing
Account Executive
Fortune 500
CPG
Rotational Programs
Recent MBA Grads
New Hires
to deliver more impact, faster
People who have recently landed a new role in tech join to deliver impact faster by tapping into mentors, building skills faster than they could on-the-job and gaining a community of peers to get advice from.
Common Profiles:
Product Operations
Product Manager
Product Strategy
Program Manager
Associate Product Manager
Product Specialist
Tech Professionals
to reach for an internal pivot or promotion
People who work at a tech company and want to accelerate a promotion or pivot to a new role within their company by bridging skill gaps and gaining external, feedback-driven mentorship.
Common Profiles:
Product Associate
Strategy & Operations
BizOps
Chief of Staff
Power Networkers
to authentically build professional relationships
Not all members of The Commons are looking for a career pivot. Many seek meaningful community and mentorship as they continue to hone their craft in the tech industry and broaden their network.
Common Profiles:
Product Manager
Product Operations
Product Leaders
Startup C-Suite
Founders
Tech Pivoters
to make their pivot more effective and efficient
Professionals who want to expedite their pivot into tech by building tangible skills, tackling problems that double as interview prep, building their network, tapping into an exclusive job board and meeting hiring managers.
Common Profiles:
Recent MBA Grads
Rotational Programs
CPG
Fortune 500
Account Executive
Marketing
Customer Success
Consulting
Finance
Product Owner
Project Management
New Hires
to deliver more impact, faster
People who have recently landed a new role in tech join to deliver impact faster by tapping into mentors, building skills faster than they could on-the-job and gaining a community of peers to get advice from.
Common Profiles:
Product Specialist
Associate Product Manager
Program Manager
Product Strategy
Product Manager
Product Operations
Tech Professionals
to reach for an internal pivot or promotion
People who work at a tech company and want to accelerate a promotion or pivot to a new role within their company by bridging skill gaps and gaining external, feedback-driven mentorship.
Common Profiles:
Chief of Staff
BizOps
Strategy & Operations
Product Associate
Power Networkers
to authentically build professional relationships
Not all members of The Commons are looking for a career pivot. Many seek meaningful community and mentorship as they continue to hone their craft in the tech industry and broaden their network.
Common Profiles:
Founders
Startup C-Suite
Product Leaders
Product Operations
Product Manager

Your Mentors

You’ll tackle the Sprint under the guidance of one of our industry mentors. They’re accessible experts who have been in your shoes, and live and breathe these roles daily. Here are a few of them!

You’ll tackle the Sprint under the guidance of one of our industry mentors. They’re accessible experts who have been in your shoes, and live and breathe these roles daily in their Product roles at top tech companies. Here are a few of them!

Accessible and friendly
Our mentors are accessible experts. They want to invest in your career and help you hone your skills, get guidance on your career, double down on interview prep or learn more about roles in tech. They’re very approachable and friendly. You can reach them directly through a simple message on Slack, hop on a quick Zoom chat. Plus, they lead frequent fireside chats.

Your Schedule

Built for busy professionals. Part-time & online.
Live sessions are on evenings or weekends and are recorded.
Sprints are broken down into 3 components:
Workshops led by mentors
(approx. 2 hours / week)
This is where we teach you the key concepts & skills that you’ll then apply to your project, like product strategy, user interviews, and prioritization frameworks. Our workshops were created by mentors based on their on-the-job experience. All workshops occur during evenings and weekends ET. Sessions are recorded in case you can’t make them live.
Team + Mentor Meetings
(1-2 hours / week)
Each week you’ll meet with your team and mentor to jam on the project, ask questions, get feedback and build your final output. Timing is flexible - you’ll schedule these based on your team’s schedule.
Independent Work
(approx. 2-4 hours / week)
You’ll want to carve out time to dive into the project on your own - it’s the best way to reflect on what you’ve learned and put it into practice. Timing is flexible!
time
7 weeks
4 - 8 Hours / Week
Learning Group

1:8 Mentor to Student Ratio

Authentic, meaningful relationship building
CALENDAR
Work compatible
See upcoming schedules here →
FYI here’s why we’ve doubled down on…
Live Workshops
Learning in a silo is lonely, boring and lacks accountability. That’s why we’ve built our Sprints around live workshops + interactive team sessions. You’ll learn directly from mentors who leverage these skills in their jobs in tech, and have the opportunity to ask questions in real-time.
Small Team Sizes
The best way to build meaningful relationships is by working together. Plus, teamwork simulates being on-the-job. You’ll still get the added benefit of having access to the full community so your relationship building can extend well beyond your team.

Community

Build Your Network
Connect with 1,000+ ambitious professionals in business + tech who are eager to open doors for one another. Whether you want to learn about an up and coming FinTech, are working on a case interview for a marketplace org, or are looking for a remote opportunity - chances are, someone in the community works there or has gone through a similar experience and can help share advice and learnings.
Hone Your Craft
Access to workshops and fireside chats outside of your Sprint, so you can build knowledge and continue to refine your skillset.
Maximize Your Opportunities
Joining our active Slack workspace to engage in discussions on the latest tech news, interview prep, and more. You’ll build a thorough understanding of what’s out there and how you can make the most of your opportunities. Looking for a new role? You’ll have full access to our exclusive job board. It’s filled with the hottest roles in tech and introductions to hiring managers. So you can stop applying cold and start getting your foot in the door.
Create Lifelong Connections
Take the URL to IRL (and back again)! Grow your network with in-person events that are ~actually~ fun! From speed networking mixers to picnic park hangs and everything in between.
Loren
6:33 PM

Hey everyone! If you're interested in the Product Ops roles at Uber, send us your info so we can pass along your names to the hiring managers! Please email or DM me by tomorrow (Tuesday) evening 🙂

Product Ops Roles @ Uber 👇

  • Marketplace
  • Membership & Consumer
  • New Verticals
🔥 17
💯 3

Member Outcomes

The Commons' model of upskilling + mentorship + community leads to material outcomes for our members. Here are just a few examples...

Fernando joined The Commons to build his Product skillset and learn directly from our mentors through the Product Sprint. Fernando was on the BizOps team at Yelp (after starting his career in banking) and worked adjacent to the Product team. Developing a deeper Product sense would help him communicate better with the Product team while allowing him to explore his curiosity about the space! Fernando was an all-star during his Product Sprint so we quickly asked him to join The Commons as a mentor too - leading the Strategy & Operations Sprint. Months later, Fernando dove further into his interest in Product, switching onto the Product team at Yelp! His growth mindset and desire to learn and mentor simultaneously embodies the spirit of The Commons. He has continued to stay involved as a geo-captain for the San Francisco chapter and is amazing at planning meetups!

Christian joined The Commons after working for ~6 months in a Finance & Strategy role at Checkr, a software company that powers the fastest, fairest background checks for businesses of all sizes - including Uber, Netflix and more. Through The Commons, Christian wanted to build tangible skills and tap into 1:1 mentorship to level up in his role and evaluate a pivot from Strategic Finance to Product. He’s since successfully pivoted to a Product role within Checkr.

Megan joined The Commons with a goal of pivoting into a Product role in tech. Prior to joining The Commons, Megan worked in project management. She completed both the Strategy & Operations and Product Sprints to level up her core competencies and hone her interviewing skills. Her hard work paid off, as she joined an early-stage startup as their first Product Ops hire. Since then, she’s remained a key contributor to the community, attending IRL meetups and hosting her very own Learning Circle.

Megan joined The Commons with a goal of pivoting into a Product role in tech. Prior to joining The Commons, Megan worked in project management. She completed both the Strategy & Operations and Product Sprints to level up her core competencies and hone her interviewing skills. Her hard work paid off, as she joined an early-stage startup as their first Product Ops hire. Since then, she’s remained a key contributor to the community, attending IRL meetups and hosting her very own Learning Circle.

Zander
Insights Manager @ Canopy Growth
Sr. Manager, Product Marketing
Naomi
Marketing @ Aramark
Product Ops Manager @ Uber
Nicole
Consulting
Ops Manager @ Deel
Nivetha
Manufacturing
Product Operations @ Skillz
Megan
Not-For-Profit
Product Ops @ Boostcamp
Jonathan
Consulting
Product @ Neo Financial
Shama
Sr. Project Manager @ Razorfish
Product Owner @ Intelex
Pooja
Product Ops Associate @ Medly
Product Ops Manager @ Axuall
Christian
Oil & Gas
Product Manager @ XPRIZE

Christian joined The Commons after working for ~6 months in a Finance & Strategy role at Checkr, a software company that powers the fastest, fairest background checks for businesses of all sizes - including Uber, Netflix and more. Through The Commons, Christian wanted to build tangible skills and tap into 1:1 mentorship to level up in his role and evaluate a pivot from Strategic Finance to Product. He’s since successfully pivoted to a Product role within Checkr.

Khushbu
Global Program Director
Product Manager @ J.P. Morgran
Sharon
Strategic Operations @ Super
Product Manager @ Super
Ritika
Associate Product Manager @ TouchTunes
Product Manager @ TouchTunes

Fernando joined The Commons to build his Product skillset and learn directly from our mentors through the Product Sprint. Fernando was on the BizOps team at Yelp (after starting his career in banking) and worked adjacent to the Product team. Developing a deeper Product sense would help him communicate better with the Product team while allowing him to explore his curiosity about the space! Fernando was an all-star during his Product Sprint so we quickly asked him to join The Commons as a mentor too - leading the Strategy & Operations Sprint. Months later, Fernando dove further into his interest in Product, switching onto the Product team at Yelp! His growth mindset and desire to learn and mentor simultaneously embodies the spirit of The Commons. He has continued to stay involved as a geo-captain for the San Francisco chapter and is amazing at planning meetups!

Nicole
levelled up for their role
Product @ Justworks
Product @ Justworks
Nick
levelled up for their role
Associate Product Manager @ CrowdRiff
Associate Product Manager @ CrowdRiff
Michelle
levelled up for their role
Product @ Colgate
Product @ Colgate
Mobeen
levelled up for their role
Data Analytics @ OntarioMD
Data Analytics @ OntarioMD
Gina
levelled up for their role
Associate Product Manager @ conversationHEALTH
Associate Product Manager @ conversationHEALTH
Marco
levelled up for their role
Manager, Risk Ops @ WaveHQ
Manager, Risk Ops @ WaveHQ

Wall of Love

Naomi C.

Figuring out the next steps of your career can be tough, especially when you have to pivot and/or have non-linear career journeys. It can be tempting to just give up and be complacent. Then there's The Commons. The Commons offers not only extremely relevant and hands-on experience, but also a long lasting community of mentors and colleagues that are rooting for you every step of the way - pushing you to achieve your goals.

💚
19
🤗
22
Allie F.

I really enjoyed it and learned a lot! I think the workshops and having access to a range of mentors makes this such a unique and helpful program.

🚀
14
📈
17
Qahir V.

All around great experience - employees were Allstars and the community was phenomenal

⭐️
22
🤗
11
Abbey G.

I learned a lot about product management and loved hearing from so many different mentors throughout the Sprint and their different perspectives, experiences and ideas on product and tech in general.

🧠
14
💡
17
Armish S.

The Commons community has helped me so much as I ventured into the world of tech. Such a game changer 🙌

🙌
22
🚀
10
Sam W.

The Commons is where world-class operators intentionally learn and grow together. Starting out complete non-technical, I was able to incubate and supercharge my budding skillsets in data, product, and growth. In fact, I loved the learning experience so much that I did 4 different programs.

🚀
18
💚
28
Aditya B.

The job board has given me more movement than an entire year of LinkedIn premium.

🚀
20
👏
13
Max N.

The Commons has the richest virtual learning environment that I have ever seen and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to it.

💚
32
🙌
26
Taylor F.

Joining The Commons was the best thing I've done for myself in 2022 😌

😌
22
🚀
14
Sunny K.

This community is like no other I've seen. Everyone is engaged, they root for each other to succeed, and when you need help there are always multiple people lending a hand in support. The confidence that The Commons has given me and the skills that I've learned will stay with me throughout my career. I'll always be grateful to the people here.

⭐️
29
❤️
18

FAQs

Sprint Timing & Schedule
Mentors & Teams
Admissions
🚀
Questions?
Book a time to chat