Leader Spotlight: Creative problem solving, with Monika Portman

Monika Portman, Associate Vice President of Product Management at Cox Automotive, discusses her career trajectory from sales to product management, emphasizing the value of her sales background in understanding customer needs and product messaging. She highlights the challenges and creative problem-solving involved in revitalizing dated software systems like the dealer management system at Cox Auto, which requires integrating multiple domains and aligning various business units. Portman reflects on the differences between managing physical products and digital initiatives, noting the increased creative freedom in technology due to fewer constraints compared to manufactured goods. She also shares her approach to fostering collaboration between product and engineering teams by involving engineers in solution development and prioritizing market discovery. Portman emphasizes the importance of human-centered design and maintaining close contact with customers to gather feedback, while balancing new feature development with addressing technical debt. Her leadership in a significant digital transformation project has been both challenging and rewarding, underscoring her growth and contribution to the business.