How do you advance your product career? In this webinar, host Denise Hemke speaks with Natera VP of Product Veronica Seo about what it really takes to get promoted from here to there—beyond just doing great work. They’ll dive into how leaders assess promotability, what you think they’re saying versus what they’re actually saying, and the strategies you need to take control of your career growth. You’ll walk away with practical insights to position yourself for success and make your next career move with confidence.
Join us for new conversations with leading product executives every week. Roll through the highlights of this week’s event below, then head on over to our Events page to see which product leaders will be joining us next week.
Show Notes:
- Promotability is about scope, impact, and visibility, not just hard work.
- Leaders look for thought leadership and strategic thinking, not just technical expertise.
- Measure and quantify your business impact, don’t rely on qualitative feedback alone.
- Avoid non-promotable tasks that don’t advance your career, like event planning or administrative work.
- Expand your scope by taking on more complex projects and stakeholder management.
- Build visibility by presenting at all-hands meetings and representing your team in broader initiatives.
- Prepare extensively for any opportunities to showcase your work to decision-makers.
- Understand your organization’s specific values and promotion criteria.
- Promotions typically occur annually, with potential mid-year informal opportunities.
- Two to three years between promotions is common in larger, mature companies.
- Craft a clear narrative when transitioning between roles or seeking advancement.
- Seek mentorship organically through genuine, prepared interactions.
- AI is a tool that can enhance product management skills, not replace core competencies.
- People leadership is still a valuable career path, but it’s not for everyone.
- Internal promotions can be challenging due to existing perceptions about your work.
- Always document your accomplishments and share them with your manager regularly.
- Be prepared to demonstrate how you can take on more strategic responsibilities.
- Understand that promotion decisions often involve budget constraints and stack ranking.
- Develop soft skills like stakeholder alignment and narrative building.
- Take agency over your career progression and don’t wait for opportunities to come to you.
About the speaker
Veronica Seo is a seasoned product leader with 15+ years of experience driving B2B and B2C product innovation in healthcare and financial services. She has a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams to develop and optimize engaging web and mobile experiences that enhance patient and provider interactions. In her current role at Natera, Veronica leads the vision, strategy, and delivery of best-in-class provider experiences across the company’s three business units: Women’s Health, Oncology, and Organ Health. Prior to Natera, she served as Head of Product at Truepill, where she built out the consumer product team, leveraging the company’s patient-first technology and infrastructure to create direct-to-consumer experiences for health brands, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and health plans. Earlier in her career, Veronica led digital product, operations, and analytics at CSAA Insurance Group, overseeing consumer- and agent-facing applications and platforms. She also spearheaded digital access-to-care initiatives at Kaiser Permanente, improving scheduling, messaging, pharmacy, and medical record services for over 12 million members. Veronica began her product journey at Wells Fargo, where she launched enterprise-wide appointment scheduling across 6,000+ branches and redesigned digital experiences for student lending and small business banking. Veronica holds a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley and an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. A Bay Area native, she resides in Pleasanton, CA, with her husband, Steve, and their two sons, Nicholas (12) and Matthew (9). When she’s not cheering on the 49ers and Warriors, she enjoys discovering culinary gems in the Tri-Valley and along the 680 corridor.
About the host
As the Chief Product Officer at NEOGOV, Denise leads the strategy for public sector HR and Public Safety software, driving innovation, customer satisfaction, and excellence. Her experience at Checkr as Chief Product Officer saw her delivering customer-focused products and promoting a fairer future. Denise’s notable career spans over two decades, with significant roles including GM for Analytics at Workday, where she launched new products and grew the business to over $200 million in ARR. Her background includes leadership positions at Platfora, Salesforce, HSBC, and AT&T, showcasing her expertise in enterprise product development and a commitment to technological advancement and customer success.