So what is it like to sit on both sides? The short answer: a lot of fun. I genuinely enjoy my work. The longer answer, you’ll find that throughout this article.
In short (TL;DR)
Working as both Product Manager and Product Owner means constantly balancing strategy and execution. By bridging business and technology, aligning different cultures, and staying honest about trade offs between speed and quality, better product decisions are made. Clear communication, strong teamwork, and protecting the product vision are key to turning complexity into impact.
On one hand: the best of both worlds
I usually say that I’m the bridge between business and technology. At TeamsCX, I focus on the future of the product as a PM. At Infodation, I make sure the team can actually build it as a PO. In practice, that means translating customer needs into a clear plan for the people doing the work.
What’s powerful is that experience from one role immediately feeds into the other. At TeamsCX, I define strategy. In Infodation projects, I’m right there in the day-to-day details of development.
I’m also a bridge between two different cultures: Dutch and Vietnamese. Because I understand both worlds well, I can help communication between teams in the Netherlands and Vietnam run smoothly. Sometimes, that’s even more important than the technology itself.
“Real product impact happens when strategy and execution meet, and the team moves forward with a shared understanding.”
On the other hand: a personal conflict
That said, sitting on both sides as a PO and PM can create a personal conflict. As a PM, you want everything ready for the market as quickly as possible. As a PO, you know exactly when that speed will start to hurt quality. You know too much from both perspectives, which means you’re constantly balancing “moving fast” with “building it right.”
For me, that balance comes down to focusing on a few things:
The facts
I keep asking simple questions like: What problem does this solve for the customer? or What’s the business value? When the conversation stays about the product instead of opinions, it rarely becomes personal.
Strong teamwork
What helps a lot is that we truly work as one team. We never focus on who made a mistake, because it’s never an individual problem. When something goes wrong or when we have to make a tough decision, we solve it together. In the end, we all want the same thing: a great product we can be proud of.
Honesty and transparency
This plays a major role. When I explain to developers why something matters for the project, they’re more motivated to make it work. And when I’m honest with the business that something isn’t technically possible yet, they understand it much better if I clearly explain why.
Learning when to let go and when to hold on
I can let go of the technical details, because my team knows them better than I do. But I can never let go of the vision and the bigger picture. You always have to stay sharp on the goal: why are we building this? Protecting the focus on the end user and the direction of the product is your responsibility.
Key lessons (at least for me)
Clear communication is essential. Things move fast in my head because I understand both roles, but that means I need to consciously bring the team, the customer, and stakeholders along in my decisions. When everyone understands where we’re going, misunderstandings disappear.
Understanding each other’s work and culture matters just as much—whether you come from a more strategic background or a deeply technical one.
And finally: treat every problem as a team challenge, not as an individual failure. It’s that open culture that allows you to make real impact.
Thinh has been working as a Product Owner at Infodation for more than ten years and has been involved in the TeamsCX product from day one.
