The Portfolio-First Approach

From Learning to Getting Hired as a Product Leader

We help you build a portfolio that gets you hired.
Our framework has landed over 200+ professionals in PM roles at top companies.

Traditional PM education falls short. We bridge the gap between learning and getting hired.

Most candidates pitch resumes. Hiring managers want proof of execution.

Plenty of theory. Not enough shipped work that survives interviews.

Hypotheticals get ignored. Real deliverables earn callbacks.

We don't just teach product management—we help you build a portfolio that proves you can do the job. Our students ship real products, solve actual business problems, and create case studies that get them hired.

We combine the best of education and career acceleration to help you land your dream PM role.

Every lesson drives immediate action, resulting in portfolio-ready deliverables you can proudly present to hiring managers.

You complete substantial, real-world product initiatives that showcase your problem-solving skills and outcomes.

Receive ongoing feedback and guidance from experienced product leaders who've been where you want to go.

Learn alongside ambitious peers, build your network, and develop the collaborative skills essential for product leadership.

Develop a strategic approach to your job search with frameworks for positioning, interviewing, and negotiating.

Master essential PM tools like RICE prioritization, Lean Canvas, and user research methods through hands-on application.

Product Leader Academy was founded with a simple yet powerful mission: to bridge the gap between product management theory and real-world application through practical, portfolio-based learning.

Learn from industry veterans with decades of experience at Fortune 500 companies

Apply concepts immediately through real-world projects and portfolio development

Access to mentorship and active community support throughout your journey

We’re not another theory-heavy course. PLA is built by hiring managers and designed around one goal: giving you the portfolio proof and mentorship you need to actually land the job.

We guarantee graduates are PM role ready with a portfolio in 6 months

Connect with industry leaders and hiring managers

Build a compelling portfolio that gets you hired

Founder and Lead Instructor

Your Struggle Is Real—And So Is Our Solution

We’ve been on both sides of the hiring table. As product leaders at companies like Optum and Kaiser Permanente, we’ve reviewed thousands of PM applications and made hundreds of hiring decisions.

The pattern was undeniable: candidates with real portfolio pieces got interviews 90% of the time. Those with just resumes? Maybe 10%. This community and program exist to give you what actually works—because you deserve better than endless rejections.

Hired and coached 100+ Product Managers across Fortune 500 and high-growth startups

Built products used by millions at Optum, Kaiser Permanente, and beyond

Designed hiring frameworks adopted by MasterCard, Charles Schwab, and top PM orgs

Guided 200+ career changers into PM roles with a portfolio-first approach

100+
PMs Hired with Our Frameworks
200+
Career Changers Mentored
Millions
Users Impacted by Our Products
Fortune 500
Using Our Hiring Playbooks
Expert Mentors

Our mentor team includes product leaders from Google, Meta, Stripe, Netflix, and more. They’ve built products used by millions and are here to guide your journey from aspiring PM to hire-ready professional.

Oscar Ibars

Founder & Lead Instructor

Creator of Product Leader Academy with extensive experience in product GTM strategy and mobile app development across Fortune 500 companies. Oscar has led teams building digital solutions for millions of users, includin…

Renu Zunjarwad, PhD

UX Research & Strategy Expert

Seasoned UX researcher, strategist, and educator working at the intersection of AI, innovation, and cultural intelligence. Renu is known for turning complexity into clarity and insight into action, with a passion for me…

Jeffrey Barrett

Mobile Apps Product Expert

Accomplished product leader with deep expertise in mobile apps, B2C platforms, personalization, and gamification. As Director of Product at Spirit Airlines, Jeff led mobile platform innovation, and at FanDuel, he drove …

Sion Dinh

Product Insights & Analytics Expert

Director of Product Insights at Wix with over 15 years of diverse product experience across gaming, fintech, food service, and HR tech industries. Known for his ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear…

Puja Lakhlani

Enterprise Product Strategy Expert

Dynamic product leader with experience at Deluxe Corporation, ADP, and other Fortune 500 companies. Puja excels in setting product vision and implementing strategies that drive both growth and results. She mentors stude…

Daniel Samper

Career Coach & Recruiter

Known as "The honest recruiter" with 8+ years of experience navigating the tech recruitment landscape across the US & LATAM. Daniel has supported startups to trillion-dollar companies in finding exceptional product tale…

Robert Smith

Architecture and Software Engineering Expert

Experienced technology executive with a demonstrated history of innovation across SaaS, FinTech, Blockchain, Health Care, and Retail. Robert has led distributed engineering teams worldwide, modernized platforms across m…

Become an Instructor

100+
Combined Years of Experience
$50B+
Products Built & Scaled
500+
PMs Successfully Mentored

Our mentors provide hands-on guidance on your portfolio projects, review your case studies, and help you navigate the PM interview process with insider knowledge.

✓ 1:1 portfolio reviews ✓ Case study feedback ✓ Interview preparation ✓ Career guidance

Real stories from professionals who used PLA to level up and land the role.

PLA pushed me to ship real work. My portfolio became the best part of every interview.

Product Manager, Fintech Startup

The mentorship and feedback loops were game-changing. I knew exactly what to improve every week.

Senior PM, Healthcare SaaS

I went from generic applications to confident storytelling backed by case studies. It made all the difference.

Associate PM, Global Media
About | Product Leader Academy