The Vital Role a Product Manager Plays Throughout a Company’s Life

This article provides a comprehensive framework for understanding how organizations mirror the anatomy of a human being—an exquisite work of art designed by an omnipresent, all-knowing creator—with specific emphasis on the role of product managers at every stage of the company’s lifecycle. By drawing from real-world examples such as Amazon and The Foundry, we see how companies evolve from infancy to legacy, with product managers playing a critical role in ensuring the company thrives in new markets like healthcare and technology. The product manager’s foresight and breadth of experience, from managing clinical challenges to expanding into new industries, will define the future of these artificial human organizations.

When we think of a company, we often envision it as a collection of people, processes, and systems, all working together to achieve a common goal. But what if we took that analogy a step further? What if we viewed a company as an artificial human being, where each department, function, and process mirrors the anatomy of a living organism? By examining the roles of human anatomy and drawing comparisons to organizational structures, we can uncover insights that shed light on how businesses function, grow, and evolve.

The Human Body as a Blueprint for Organizations

The human body is a masterful creation, with each part playing a crucial role in maintaining life. The brain, heart, lungs, liver, and muscles all work together in harmony, performing tasks essential to survival and growth (see Exhibit A). Each organ has its unique function, but the body cannot thrive without the coordinated efforts of all parts. In a similar way, as Exhibit B outlines, a company operates with various departments—finance, marketing, operations, and human resources—each responsible for vital tasks that contribute to the overall success of the organization.

For instance, the brain, which directs and coordinates bodily functions, can be likened to the executive leadership of a company. The heart, which pumps blood and ensures the body’s survival, resembles the operations department, ensuring smooth production and resource distribution. Meanwhile, the lungs, responsible for bringing oxygen into the body, parallel the sales and marketing teams, which breathe life into the company by driving revenue.

Just as the human body relies on the cooperation of these organs to thrive, an organization depends on its departments working in sync to achieve success. But there’s more to this analogy: it’s not just about the current state of an organization, but how it evolves over time—from a fledgling start-up to a legacy industry leader.

The Role of DNA in Both Living and Artificial Beings

At the core of human life is DNA, the blueprint that dictates how the body grows, functions, and evolves. In a company, the DNA represents its culture, values, mission, and vision. This DNA shapes the way a company operates, how it interacts with the world, and how it adapts to change. Just as genetic mutations can spur evolution in living organisms, cultural shifts and innovations within a company can lead to breakthroughs and long-term success.

For an organization to truly thrive, its DNA must be resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking. Companies like Amazon, which began with a simple vision of selling books online, have adapted their DNA to become global juggernauts, dominating industries from e-commerce to cloud computing.

The Product Manager: The Brain’s Cortex and the Central Nervous System

Within this organizational anatomy, the Product Manager plays a pivotal role, similar to the brain’s cortex or the central nervous system. Using AI-powered tools such as Aha!, Jira, Confluence, Splunk, and ChatGPT, the product manager coordinates the efforts of different departments, gathers information from all areas of the business, and makes strategic decisions that shape the company’s future. In essence, they ensure that the company functions as a unified organism, responding to market trends, customer needs, and competitive pressures.

But a product manager’s role is not static—it evolves throughout the life of a company, just as the human body changes from infancy to adulthood and eventually old age.

The Evolution of the Product Manager’s Role

• Early Stage (Infancy): In the early days of a company, the product manager is like a pioneer, guiding the organization through uncharted territory. They are responsible for shaping the company’s product vision, identifying market opportunities, and aligning resources to bring the product to life. At this stage, the product manager must be hands-on, adaptable, and willing to take risks. For example, in Amazon’s early days, Jeff Bezos himself played the role of product manager, directing the company’s strategy and vision with a focus on long-term growth.

  
  

• Growth Stage (Adulthood): As the company matures, the product manager’s role shifts to scaling the business. They must now manage larger teams, streamline processes, and ensure that the company’s products are not only innovative but also reliable and scalable. During this phase, product managers need to be excellent communicators and strategists, capable of coordinating across multiple teams and markets. At Amazon’s growth stage, product managers were critical in launching AWS, which transformed Amazon from an e-commerce company into a tech powerhouse.

  
  

• Mature Stage (Elderhood): In a mature company, the product manager’s role becomes even more complex. They must balance maintaining the company’s market leadership with the need to innovate and stay relevant. In this phase, the product manager’s foresight and ability to navigate complex market dynamics are crucial. They must have a deep understanding of the organization’s internal workings, as well as insights into capital markets, asset valuation, and strategic growth opportunities. This is where Amazon’s product leaders today focus on expanding into new areas like AI, quantum computing, and the Metaverse, ensuring that the company continues to grow even as it enters its “elder” years.

The Product Manager’s Role in The Foundry: Targeting Clinical Problems with Diverse Technologies

Companies like The Foundry are exceptional examples of how product managers can target real-world clinical problems by using a diverse array of technologies to improve human functioning. The Foundry operates much like a medical “incubator,” solving complex clinical challenges and working at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and healthcare. Here, a Product Manager doesn’t just play a role in managing the product lifecycle but becomes integral in targeting clinical problems—whether it’s developing new medical devices, therapeutic tools, or healthtech solutions—and aligning these products with both market needs and regulatory landscapes.

A product manager at The Foundry would oversee the lifecycle of healthcare technologies much like an architect building the framework of an artificial human. They guide the product from conception through development, regulatory approval, and finally market adoption. The PMs at The Foundry work to solve real human problems such as cardiovascular issues, neuro disorders, or diabetes, using everything from advanced materials to AI-driven diagnostics.

Just as a product manager at The Foundry works to improve real human health, the role of a Product Manager in a company can target similar "clinical problems" within the organization—diagnosing inefficiencies, solving operational bottlenecks, and enhancing the overall functioning of the business, or the artificial human being.

Expanding the Artificial Human to Healthcare: Amazon’s Next Leap

Amazon, a company that already dominates numerous sectors, is now making significant strides into pharmacy and healthcare—a move that signals its next wave of rapid growth. This new endeavor highlights the evolving role of the Product Manager. As Amazon expands into healthcare, product managers will need to adapt, using foresight and broad knowledge of the industry to navigate regulatory challenges, create innovative healthcare services, and transform Amazon into a dominant player in the healthcare industry.

For instance, Amazon's acquisition of PillPack and the launch of Amazon Pharmacy are clear examples of how the company is poised to reshape healthcare delivery. Product Managers will play a key role in ensuring Amazon’s success in this industry. They must:

1. Align customer experience: Ensure that Amazon's core value of customer obsession is mirrored in its healthcare offerings, making prescriptions accessible, affordable, and convenient.

   
   

2. Integrate technologies: Utilize technologies like AI, telemedicine, and quantum computing to improve patient outcomes, similar to how The Foundry addresses clinical problems with cutting-edge solutions.

   
   

3. Scale solutions: As Amazon expands, product managers will need to ensure scalability while maintaining regulatory compliance and security, two critical challenges in the healthcare industry.

In this context, Product Managers at Amazon have the responsibility of improving the company’s functioning as a “mature, artificial human,” targeting operational bottlenecks, consumer access, and healthcare regulation hurdles much like a surgeon would solve a patient’s medical issues.

The Importance of Foresight and Breadth of Experience

A product manager with foresight and a broad understanding of the company’s structure and the market landscape is vital to ensuring long-term success. At different stages of a company’s life, product managers must possess a combination of strategic vision and technical expertise. In mature companies, this extends to understanding capital markets, asset valuation, and how emerging technologies—like AI, quantum computing, and the Metaverse—can reshape the business landscape.

In fact, as outlined in the article, Like the Pioneers of Yesteryear, a New Kind of Energy Exploration is Taking Shape, companies that can harness these transformative technologies, perhaps started and led by a single product manager aided by AI and its powerful computing and processing speeds, will dominate future markets and entire ecosystems behind the scenes, achieving unicorn status at a rapid pace without the drag that most companies face which are burdened with unnecessary and/or oftentimes repetitive overheard, especially within the digital payments infrastructure that involves numerous systems and intermediaries versus frictionless transaction that should be expected in a virtual, secure, peer-to-peer environment. Product managers are critical to identifying and driving these opportunities, ensuring that the company remains competitive and continues to create value for shareholders.

Conclusion

Just as a human being evolves throughout their life, so too does a company. The Product Manager serves as the brain, nervous system, and central coordinator throughout the life of the company—from the early days of product development, through scaling and expansion, to maintaining industry leadership. With the right foresight and breadth of experience, a product manager can ensure that the company remains resilient, innovative, and competitive in an ever-changing market.

Whether targeting clinical problems with new technologies at companies like The Foundry or helping Amazon break new ground in the healthcare industry, the Product Manager is indispensable to improving the functioning of an artificial human being—the company. They serve as the ultimate conductor, ensuring that every part of the company operates in harmony, with an eye on future opportunities and sustainable growth.

Exhibit A: Key Parts of the Human Body

Body Part	Description	Function	Vitals
Brain	The control center of the body, located in the skull. Composed of neurons and glial cells.	Controls bodily functions, thought processes, memory, emotions, and movement. Also responsible for interpreting sensory information.	Divided into parts: cerebrum (thought and voluntary movement), cerebellum (coordination), and brainstem (automatic functions like heartbeat, breathing).
Heart	A muscular organ located in the chest cavity.	Pumps blood throughout the body via the circulatory system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to tissues and removing carbon dioxide and waste products.	Consists of four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. Works with the arteries and veins to maintain blood flow and pressure.
Lungs	Pair of spongy organs located on either side of the chest.	Facilitates gas exchange by inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.	The alveoli in the lungs are the primary site for gas exchange with the bloodstream. The diaphragm assists in breathing.
Liver	A large organ located in the upper right abdomen.	Processes nutrients from food, filters blood, detoxifies chemicals, and metabolizes drugs. Produces bile for digestion.	Plays a key role in metabolism and detoxification. Can regenerate after damage. Vital for maintaining blood glucose levels.
Kidneys	A pair of bean-shaped organs located near the lower back.	Filter waste products from the blood and produce urine. Regulate electrolyte balance, blood pressure, and red blood cell production.	Essential for waste removal and maintaining homeostasis. Part of the urinary system.
Stomach	A hollow organ located in the upper abdomen.	Breaks down food using digestive enzymes and stomach acid. Initiates digestion, especially of proteins.	Plays a key role in the digestive system. The stomach lining secretes mucus to protect against the highly acidic environment.
Intestines	Long tube-like organs in the digestive system, divided into small and large intestines.	The small intestine absorbs nutrients from digested food, while the large intestine absorbs water and forms waste (feces).	The small intestine is composed of three parts: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. The large intestine includes the colon and rectum.
Pancreas	A gland located behind the stomach.	Produces digestive enzymes and hormones, including insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.	Plays a dual role in digestion and endocrine functions. Critical for glucose metabolism.
Spleen	An organ located near the stomach on the left side.	Filters blood, recycles old red blood cells, and helps fight infection by producing white blood cells.	Part of the immune system and lymphatic system. Though not essential for life, its functions are important for fighting infections.
Skin	The largest organ of the body, covering the entire surface.	Protects internal organs, regulates temperature, and provides sensation. Acts as a barrier to pathogens and helps in Vitamin D production.	Composed of three layers: epidermis (outer layer), dermis (middle layer), and hypodermis (fat and connective tissue layer).
Skeleton	The framework of the body, consisting of 206 bones in adults.	Supports the body, protects organs, allows movement through muscle attachments, and stores minerals (like calcium) and bone marrow for blood cell production.	Bones are living tissues that continually remodel throughout life. The skeleton is divided into the axial skeleton (skull, spine) and appendicular skeleton (limbs).
Muscles	Soft tissues composed of protein filaments. Three types: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles.	Enable movement of the body, maintain posture, and produce heat. Skeletal muscles are voluntary; cardiac muscles pump the heart; smooth muscles control organs.	Skeletal muscles are attached to bones. Cardiac muscle is involuntary and found only in the heart. Smooth muscle is in the walls of organs like the intestines.
Blood Vessels	Tubular structures (arteries, veins, capillaries) that carry blood throughout the body.	Transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products to and from body tissues.	Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart, veins carry oxygen-poor blood back to the heart, and capillaries allow exchange between blood and tissues.
Nervous System	A complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals between different parts of the body.	Controls voluntary and involuntary actions. Coordinates bodily functions by transmitting signals to and from the brain and spinal cord.	Divided into central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (nerves). Key to reflexes and motor coordination.
Endocrine System	Glands such as the thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas that produce hormones.	Regulates metabolism, growth, development, mood, and reproductive processes through hormone secretion.	Hormones act as chemical messengers in the body. The system includes glands like the pituitary, which regulates other glands and bodily functions.
Reproductive System	Organs involved in producing offspring, including testes (in males) and ovaries (in females).	Produces gametes (sperm in males, eggs in females) and sex hormones. Facilitates reproduction and, in females, supports pregnancy and childbirth.	The male and female reproductive systems are structurally different but have complementary functions in reproduction.
Immune System	A network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from pathogens.	Defends against infections, destroys harmful microorganisms, and removes damaged cells.	Includes white blood cells, lymph nodes, spleen, and antibodies. Key to fighting diseases and infections.

Exhibit B: Comparing Human Anatomy to Corporate Structure

Body Part	Corporate Equivalent	Function in the Organization	Vitals
Brain	CEO / Executive Leadership Team	Makes critical decisions, sets strategy, and controls overall direction and vision of the company. Acts as the control center.	Just as the brain coordinates bodily functions, the CEO and leadership guide all departments, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
Heart	Operations Department	Ensures that resources (staff, equipment, etc.) are efficiently distributed and that products and services are delivered to clients.	Similar to the heart pumping blood, operations ensure a steady flow of production and services to keep the organization running smoothly.
Lungs	Sales & Marketing	Brings in fresh opportunities (like oxygen) by identifying and attracting customers, and exhaling waste (underperforming leads).	Sales and marketing breathe life into the organization by driving revenue. They filter the market for potential clients and ensure the company thrives in its environment.
Liver	Finance Department	Manages cash flow, processes financial transactions, and filters out unnecessary costs while ensuring the financial health of the company.	The finance department detoxifies excess expenses, handles investments, and helps the company metabolize resources to remain solvent and profitable.
Kidneys	Risk Management / Compliance	Filters risks, manages compliance with regulations, and ensures the company avoids potential legal and financial pitfalls.	Like kidneys filter out toxins, risk management ensures harmful risks are minimized or eliminated, safeguarding the organization’s health and integrity.
Stomach	Product Development / R&D	Breaks down ideas and concepts into viable products and solutions. Initiates the process of turning raw materials into finished goods or services.	The "digestive system" of the company, where innovations are broken down and refined into marketable offerings.
Intestines	Supply Chain & Distribution	Absorbs and processes materials (small intestine) and removes waste or unneeded resources (large intestine), ensuring efficient flow of goods to customers.	The supply chain converts raw materials into finished products and delivers them to end customers, just as intestines process and absorb nutrients for the body.
Pancreas	Human Resources (HR)	Produces essential resources (hiring talent, managing benefits) and regulates the company’s culture and employee welfare (similar to regulating blood sugar levels).	HR manages internal company health, ensuring employees are satisfied, healthy, and productive, just as the pancreas regulates important metabolic functions.
Spleen	IT / Security Department	Filters out potential digital threats, secures company data, and supports the infrastructure necessary for business operations.	Just like the spleen helps fight infections, IT ensures protection from cyber threats, secures sensitive information, and keeps systems healthy and functional.
Skin	Brand & Public Relations	Protects the company’s image, maintains its external reputation, and interacts with the outside world.	The brand is the outer layer that people interact with, and PR ensures the company maintains a positive image, like skin shielding the body from external threats.
Skeleton	Corporate Structure / Legal	Provides the framework and structure of the company. Supports decision-making and legal compliance, ensuring the company operates within a defined organizational structure.	Legal and corporate structure provide the support for all activities, like bones support the body. Ensures compliance with laws, governance, and ethical standards.
Muscles	Employees / Workforce	The "muscles" of the organization who carry out tasks, execute strategies, and drive the business forward through their skills and energy.	Employees are like the muscles that power the company. Without them, the company cannot move, grow, or achieve its goals. Their energy and engagement are vital.
Blood Vessels	Internal Communication / Information Systems	Transport vital information and resources (ideas, decisions, data) between departments, ensuring seamless operations and collaboration.	Just as blood vessels carry oxygen and nutrients to all body parts, communication systems ensure that essential information flows to the right areas of the business.
Nervous System	Company Culture & Leadership Style	Coordinates the behavior and responses of the workforce, guiding interactions and responses to both internal and external stimuli.	The nervous system’s control over bodily actions is mirrored by the culture that influences employee behavior, morale, and organizational reflexes in crises or opportunities.
Endocrine System	Corporate Policies & Governance	Regulates the "hormones" of the company: key policies, processes, and incentives that shape organizational behavior and productivity.	Corporate governance and policies ensure that the company functions smoothly, much like hormones regulate the body's internal balance and growth.
Reproductive System	Business Development & Innovation Teams	Creates new ideas, projects, and business opportunities, fostering growth and expansion.	This team is responsible for ensuring the company's future through innovation, new partnerships, and markets—similar to reproduction ensuring survival of a species.
Immune System	Crisis Management / Legal	Protects the company from external threats, legal issues, and reputational risks by responding to crises and managing external pressures.	Just as the immune system fights off infections, crisis management and legal teams protect the company from PR disasters, lawsuits, and competitive threats.

In this framework, a Product Manager can be likened to the brain’s cortex or the central nervous system within the company. Here’s why:

1. Central Role in Coordination:

   • The product manager acts as a coordinator, ensuring all departments (or "organs") work together to bring a product or service to life. Much like how the brain's cortex coordinates movement, sensation, and decision-making, the product manager oversees the intersection of multiple teams, including engineering, marketing, operations, and sales.

     
     

2. Strategic Decision-Making:

   • The product manager is responsible for making strategic decisions about product direction, features, and priorities, akin to the executive function of the brain. They gather inputs from various departments (much like sensory inputs), analyze data, and decide the best course of action for the product’s success.

     
     

3. Customer-Centric Focus:

   • Product managers are closely attuned to the market and customer needs, much like how the brain processes external stimuli and adjusts the body's response. They ensure the company’s offerings are aligned with customer demand, staying responsive to feedback and changing trends.

     
     

4. Problem-Solving and Communication:

   • Like the central nervous system, the product manager acts as a communicator, transmitting information between departments and resolving issues that arise across functions. They facilitate communication between the “organs” of the company, ensuring smooth functioning and alignment toward a shared goal.

In short, the Product Manager operates at the nexus of strategy, execution, and communication, functioning as a vital part of the brain or nervous system of the organization. They ensure that the company’s product vision is successfully executed by coordinating and guiding various departments.

Exhibit C: The Role of Product Manager in Organizational Evolution

Stage	Role	Responsibilities	Example
Infancy	Pioneer	Defines product vision, explores new markets, takes risks to drive growth.	Jeff Bezos himself guiding Amazon from a small online bookstore to e-commerce giant.
Growth	Scaler	Scales teams, launches new products, ensures efficiency and alignment across markets.	Amazon's product managers playing a critical role in launching AWS and transforming Amazon.
Maturity	Innovator & Strategist	Balances market leadership with innovation, explores new opportunities in tech (AI, healthcare).	Amazon’s move into healthcare with Amazon Pharmacy, PillPack, and telemedicine.

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