Philina Fan, a Product Design Manager at Handshake, shares her journey from being a fashion designer to a digital product designer. She attributes her transition to marrying her husband, who was studying information systems at UC Berkeley, and following him to the West Coast. Initially, she explored interaction design boot camps, including General Assembly, where she discovered her natural aptitude for systems thinking and product design. Her first job was as a contractor at Prosper, a peer-to-peer lending company, which eventually led to her role at Cloudflare. Philina emphasizes the importance of tapping into one's network, being vulnerable, and asking questions to learn and grow. She recommends books like "Playing Big" by Tara Brach and "Designing Your Life" by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Her interests include podcasts like "How I Built This," "The Daily," and "99% Invisible." Philina's background is rooted in manufacturing and real estate, thanks to her grandfather's entrepreneurial spirit. She advises product managers to work closely with designers from the beginning, fostering a collaborative environment where design is integral to the product strategy.