Product All-Star: 5 questions with Laura Vassilowitch

Building products is an adventure. That is what makes it the best job in the world. But this role is not for everyone — true product success requires decisive action, continuous effort, and the relentless pursuit of value.

We have the honor of being connected to companies and product experts who go boldly and bravely. And we are asking folks to share their knowledge with you in the hopes it will inspire you in your own product career.

Laura Vassilowitch is Senior Director of Product Operations at Cority, a leading software company that helps organizations improve their environmental, health, safety, and quality performance. Based in New Jersey, Laura ensures her teams operate with clear and consistent processes across Cority's product suite. She also plays a crucial role in supporting the implementation of Cority's product roadmap — making sure it is built confidently and communicated widely throughout the organization.

Outside of work, Laura plays chauffeur for her three children, keeping up with T-ball, soccer, basketball, and Girl Scouts. She also loves solving a tricky problem, whether it is a complex puzzle or an escape room challenge.

Keep on reading for Laura's thoughts on all things product operations:

What was your first product role?

I began my product career as a product manager at a small company that supported higher education. At the time, the company had no formal product team, so I worked directly with customers and their data to help provide insights. We launched a dedicated product management team as the company grew. We overhauled our internal processes and rebuilt everything from data handling to client-facing presentations. This experience was gritty and hands-on — it confirmed that product management was where I thrived, because I could solve complex problems with creative solutions.

My role expanded from managing specific products to overseeing all technical product managers. The focus was on analyzing market trends, identifying any big opportunities, and building out the work. This blend of strategic insight and execution prepared me for my leadership role in product operations at Cority. Here, I ensure our processes and communication are consistent and adopted. I love defining clear goals and pushing for the right metrics to track progress.

Setting success metrics is about being factual, doing your research, and having realistic expectations.

One of the hardest things to do is to look back and ask, "Did we provide the value we thought we would?" But that is how you ensure continuous improvement: by being honest about what worked, what didn't, and why.

What are the most important traits for a product builder?

Three come to mind: prioritization, relationship building, and proactive planning.

Prioritization is crucial. Product management is all about tough choices — you cannot do it all.

The best product builders focus on high-value work. They use tools like Aha! software to surface the most impactful ideas and make quick decisions during development. This keeps everyone and everything aligned with core goals.

Building strong relationships with customers is just as important. You need to stay close to your users. Talk to them, gather feedback, and make sure you address real pain points. That same mindset applies internally in product operations, too.

In product operations, our "customers" are our colleagues. We need to create the right processes and support to help product managers do their best work.

Finally, being proactive and organized is what will set you apart. Always think ahead, asking "what if?" to anticipate potential issues before they arise. Keep things running smoothly with clear backlogs, action plans, and quick updates at the ready. It's that mix of strategic thinking, customer focus, and discipline that makes a real difference.

What do you recommend not doing when starting a product career?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting in product is building the product for yourself. It's easy to fall into this trap, especially if you have been a user before or think you know the best way to use the product. But in most cases, you are not the end user, and how you would use the product is often irrelevant. Your job is to build for someone else, which means you need to understand their needs, preferences, and workflows. The only way to truly grasp that is by talking to customers, asking questions, and seeing how they interact with the software.

Do not assume everyone uses the product like you would — there are countless ways users can approach the same task. It is your responsibility to uncover those variations.

Not involving customers early enough is another common pitfall. Fixing mistakes after a product is live can be costly in terms of both time and customer trust. You can avoid a lot of this by getting feedback early. Test concepts and involve end users from the start. The sooner you engage them, the better off you'll be when it is time to launch.

How do you rally the team around a shared framework?

My approach is to be crystal clear about the "why."

Change for the sake of change does not work — you need to communicate the pain points, the solution, and how it was vetted with the team.

In product operations, you are not just rolling out a process. You are showing everyone how it will make their work better. I also offer multiple ways to learn (such as training sessions, cheat sheets, and recordings), because everyone absorbs information differently.

An example of my approach in action is our shift to Aha! Roadmaps for release planning. We moved from siloed Excel sheets to a fully standardized process in Aha! Roadmaps, complete with aligned templates and clear approvals. It took time and effort, but everything is now consistent, and the team has embraced the new way of working.

What excites you most about your role?

I love finding opportunities for improvement, developing a plan, and having the right processes in place to track the impact. It is rewarding to see progress in areas that are often hard to quantify — like creating an internal dashboard so leadership can quickly spot what needs attention, or helping customers complete tasks faster. In both product operations and product management, nothing beats the feeling of seeing tangible results and saying, "We did it!"

Read more of the Product All-Star series.

Know an inspiring product builder? Nominate them to be featured in an upcoming post. They simply need to be doing quality work and using Aha! software.