Meet Ridwan Ajayi, a product manager, who shares with us in a virtual interview that his passion for working with data has enabled him to thrive in roles spanning research, risk, and business strategy. But even with this strong foundation, transitioning into product management still felt like stepping into the unknown.
How Learning the Product Manager Skills Became a Priority
Ridwan began his career at Africa Prudential, where he wore many hats, including market research, risk management, and eventually business strategy. It was during the company’s digital transformation that his product journey began.
While working in strategy, Ridwan was part of a team that developed a blueprint for the company’s digital transformation. As the business expanded into new lines, one of which involved product development, Ridwan was asked to join the new product department.
Learning the product manager skills became a priority for him.
“My boss said, ‘We’re building a product team, and I want you to move there. I didn’t know where to start. It was was a new career path for me.”
Building the Needed Skills for the Job at Treford
Unsure of how to successfully become a product manager, Ridwan turned to his manager, who introduced him to Treford.
He enrolled in Treford’s complete product management course and immediately saw the value. He connected with facilitators, appreciated the structure of the sessions, and engaged deeply with the content.
According to him, one major turning point for him was learning about product metrics during the session. As someone with a deep love for numbers, he told us that moment gave him clarity and conviction that product management was the right fit.
Finding Clarity and Confidence
As someone learning product management with no prior background, Ridwan shares that enrolling in Treford’s bootcamp gave him the structure and clarity he needed. From the very first session, he said he knew he had made the right decision.
“When I saw product metrics in the curriculum, I was like, ‘Yes! I can still crunch numbers in this new path.’ That moment gave me peace. I knew I was in the right place.”
Ridwan mentioned that the boot camp wasn’t just theory. It provided him:
- A safe space to ask questions and grow
- Hands-on practice with real tools
- Peer-to-peer collaboration
- Engaging facilitators
Thriving as a Product Manager On-the-Job
Ridwan says he didn’t just understand product management; he began to apply it. From product metrics to communication, from research to stakeholder alignment, he shared with us how the bootcamp translated into real-world skills for his product role:
Making Metrics Work for Product Decisions
“Product metrics stood out for me. It gave me clarity on what to measure, how to track performance, and make data-backed decisions.”
With his analytical background, he quickly began to lead better discovery sessions, evaluate feature outcomes, and bring clarity to product updates.
Deepening Product Thinking
Beyond numbers, Ridwan appreciated the mindset shift.
“What I was looking for, I found it in the session. The way product was broken down gave me a better understanding of what I should be doing day to day.”
He understood not just the what, but also the why—a critical shift for anyone transitioning into product.
Improved Stakeholder Communication
As someone moving from business strategy, Ridwan already had business context. But now he could connect with developers, designers, and leadership in product language.
“If I have any issue in my role, I know who to call upon now. The relationships I built at Treford make things easier.”
Fast-Tracked Career Growth
Ridwan added that the boost in confidence, clarity, and skillset helped him climb faster—proof that the right learning platform makes a real difference.
“Since I started my product journey, I’ve worked in three organisations. That’s more growth than I saw before transitioning.”
How to Advance Product Manager Skills
Ridwan’s story shows that with the right learning environment, transitioning into a new field or taking on a senior role at work doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
For professionals transitioning into mid- and senior-level product roles, Treford is really right here to make building a career at any level feel less like a struggle but more like growing up.
If you’re a product manager like Ridwan, seeking clarity, hands-on learning, better performance, skills to drive business impact, and a community that pushes your growth, Treford’s Product Management Accelerator Program should be your next big step.
Find all details about this program below.
See more stories from professionals in the Treford community → Alumni Stories