My Name Is Rose Thompson — This Is Why I Joined Aha!
Most careers do not follow a straight path. Mine is certainly no exception. After graduating college with an English degree, I joined a boutique content marketing firm as a financial writer. Our clients ranged from the Wall Street Journal to a national insurance agency. I loved educating readers — it felt good to use my writing skills to make a positive impact on people’s lives.
I find great joy in connecting with people and using my skills to help others achieve.
I parlayed my reporting experience into a role at a private equity research startup in Seattle. I helped launch a daily newsletter that recapped industry news for venture capitalists. It was a great way to apply my writing and editing skills, while also learning more about the world of technology startups.
But I quickly realized that I wanted to interact more directly with the people reading our newsletter. So I transitioned to the customer success team where I worked with 70 high-powered clients ranging from investment bankers to venture capitalists. In addition to hands-on product training, I helped customers with their own market analysis and shared relevant industry research. It was exciting to build these relationships and show people how to get value out of the product.
My responsibilities grew over time. I began writing blog posts and forming strategic partnerships with my product management colleagues so I could help customers realize the full potential of our product. Although I did not know it at the time, this was my first foray into product marketing.
As the company matured, I was asked to become our first product marketing manager. I learned how to conduct customer research, develop a go-to-market process, and lead the launch of our redesigned UI. This work was not only intellectually stimulating but also emotionally fulfilling. Instead of interacting with a finite group of clients, I was making a tangible impact on all of our customers.
Product marketing combines everything I love about writing, collaborating with teammates, and helping customers accomplish their goals.
The company and I grew immensely during the seven years I was there. We were acquired by a major financial services firm. It was exhilarating to be part of such explosive growth. But I was itching to apply my skills to a new product. I had a lot of stipulations, though. I wanted to work on a market-leading product I could believe in. And I wanted a company with women in leadership roles and a high-caliber marketing team.
I was already a fan of Aha! from reading the expert advice on the blog. So I submitted an application for an open product marketing role and heard back the next day. Everyone I interviewed with was sharp, interesting, and kind. This mix of intensity and empathy was appealing. It was clear that the team deeply understood the product and truly cared about their colleagues and customers.
I have learned so much since joining a little over a year ago. I help write our guides and weekly go-to-market launches, support the Roadmap.com community, and contribute to our growing knowledge base. My favorite project to work on is our live tutorial program — where an Aha! expert teaches customers to get the most out of our software. Recent topics include how to create visual reports and how to build the perfect workflow.
Our company is entirely remote but I feel incredibly connected to my teammates.
We all care deeply about helping customers and each other. I appreciate how Aha! is big enough to be very profitable and have established processes, yet still growing enough that I can make a meaningful impact as an individual contributor. And I love having the freedom to live in Mazama, Washington — a tiny town that I call my happy place. (The Nordic skiing here is exceptional.)
Every day, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with committed teammates and help people achieve more with their own teams using our product. I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
That is why I joined Aha! — and why you should too.
