--- source_url: "https://substack.com/home/post/p-158043514" title: The $150 Investment That Changed My PM Career mirrored_at: 2026-08-15T01:09:30.014Z host: substack.com cited_in_42a: true mirror_canonical: "https://index.42a.ai/substack.com/home/post/p-158043514" --- > **Original source:** https://substack.com/home/post/p-158043514 **You’re making one of the biggest mistakes in your PM career—and you don’t even realize it.** No, it’s not missing out on a trendy AI course. No, it’s not about reading _yet another_ book on product management. It’s about **who you learn from.** The right kind of learning investment can **10x your career**. If you’re an aspiring or early-career PM—or even wondering why you’re not getting that promotion—chances are, you don’t even know what gaps are holding you back. Now, imagine if you could close those gaps with **a simple $150 investment.** That’s exactly the value **[Lenny’s Newsletter](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/?r=8c58k)** brings to the table. The value you get from Lenny’s Newsletter is undeniable. Before I break it down, let’s address the obvious. _Hi, I'm [Snigdha](https://www.linkedin.com/in/snigi/)! I'm on a journey to become a 1% better Product Manager every day, and I’m excited to share my learnings with you. My goal is to provide bite-sized insights and practical tips for those exploring the world of product management, helping you grow your PM skills one small step at a time._ Lenny Rachitsky—Creator of the Lenny’s Newsletter If you’re in product management and have never come across **[Lenny Rachitsky](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky)**, you might be living under a rock. Whether you’re a Senior PM, early-career PM, or aspiring PM, one thing is clear—_Lenny’s Newsletter is an industry staple._ Lenny didn’t just stumble into product management. He started as a software engineer, then transitioned into entrepreneurship, founding Localmind—a location-based consumer app that helped users get real-time answers about places they were considering visiting. **Localmind’s success led to its acquisition by Airbnb**, where Lenny then spent 7 years innovating and scaling one of the biggest brands in tech. At Airbnb, Lenny played a pivotal role in launching Airbnb Experiences—one of the company’s most successful ventures. He left Airbnb in 2019, and on June 14, 2019 he published his first article reflecting on his time at the company—_“[What Seven Years at Airbnb Taught Me About Building a Business](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/what-seven-years-at-airbnb-taught)”_. His writing was deep, honest, and direct. That one post sparked something huge. Fast forward 5.5 years, and Lenny has built one of the largest paid newsletters in the world, closing in on 1 million subscribers and generating millions in annual subscription revenue—all while continuing to be a thought leader in product growth, strategy, and career development. Lenny’s continued success in building successful products begs the real question—_how do some PMs consistently drive big impact and shape entire industries?_ **What sets apart good PMs from the ones who redefine the game?** > **Spoiler:** They continuously refine their mental models, challenge their own thinking, and ask—"Can this be bigger, better, bolder?" Lenny’s Substack is dedicated to helping PMs do just that. It covers product-led growth, career advice, and the evolving PM landscape—but this isn’t an ad for Lenny (though I wouldn’t mind if he sponsored or reposted this 😉). **This is about why subscribing to his newsletter might be the best investment in your PM career.** I’ll be honest, I used to think paying for newsletters was a waste of money. Like many of you, my inbox was drowning in unread emails from myriad subscriptions. I had subscribed to everything and read nothing—until I realized that learning is only valuable if it’s intentional. Learning is only valuable if it’s intentional. So, I decluttered my inbox and asked myself: - _What don’t I know?_ - _What do Senior PMs know that I don’t?_ - _What mistakes can I learn from—without making them myself?_ The answer? Lenny’s Newsletter. Here’s what I was struggling with before subscribing: - I didn’t understand the difference in the level of thinking & decision-making between L5 vs. L6+ PMs. - I wasn’t in the room where leadership decisions happened, so I didn’t know how they thought. - I wanted to learn from other PMs’ experiences—mistakes, wins, insights—and use that knowledge to accelerate my own career. Lenny’s Newsletter turned out to be a one-stop shop for all of this. Yes, paying for content isn’t easy when free content is everywhere. But here’s the real deal: - $150 per year - My PM Salary Goal for 2025: $235K base salary (wondering why this number? Well I learnt it from Lenny!) - % of my salary invested in career growth? Less than 0.09%. That’s right—less than 0.09% of my income going toward high-quality, insider knowledge that could help me land my dream job. Not to mention, most companies will reimburse this as part of their corporate learning budget. So if you haven’t thought about it yet, congratulations—I just saved you $150/year. 🎉 For me, it was different. I followed Lenny for 3 years and read his monthly free articles before deciding to invest. I already knew his content was solid. His insights helped me understand PM salaries across the world, how to improve product sense, what AI trends will shape the future of product management, and so much more! Lenny’s newsletter is a pretty smart investment for every level of PM. Lenny’s writing model is simple: he talks about the things no one else does, but should. His research is deep. He gathers data, insights, real-world examples, and then builds a compelling story around them. As a reader, you’re instantly hooked—because now you’re invested in learning [how to say no](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-say-no?utm_source=publication-search), [how Shopify builds product](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-shopify-builds-product), [what every PM should know about engineering](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-top-5-things-pms-should-know?utm_source=publication-search), or even [what tools everyone is using to 10x their productivity](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/whats-in-your-stack-the-state-of?utm_source=publication-search). Lenny also keeps a close pulse on emerging trends in product, tech, and AI. And here’s the best part: Everything he writes is backed by data**.** No fluff, no speculation—just real insights grounded in reality. Even though his content is often "one level above" where you are, it’s written in a way that makes it easy to grasp, apply, and grow from. **Now, how should you apply it to your work, job search, or career growth?** Understand it. Learn it. Apply it. Talk about it. Share it. Think about it, Challenge it. 1. **Understand it.** Learn the core concepts, frameworks, and insights. 2. **Apply it.** Start using 2-3 takeaways at work immediately. 3. **Talk about it.** Discuss it with colleagues, friends, or mentors. 4. **Challenge it.** Think critically—how could this work differently for you? How to apply Lenny’s Newsletter—Framework to becoming 1% better PM everyday! For example: I read Lenny’s article—_["How to Communicate Tradeoffs So Leaders Will Listen"](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-communicate-tradeoffs-so-leaders)_, co-authored by Tara. It was packed with golden insights on how to approach leaders with tradeoffs, what to share in leadership syncs, and how to avoid common traps when discussing tradeoffs. I took a very intentional approach: - I picked 2-3 things I could implement instantly at work. - I noted 1-2 things that required habit-building over time. - I flagged 1 deep-dive topic that deserved more exploration if time permitted. The results? - I quickly up-leveled my stakeholder management skills. - I improved how I structure and present tradeoff discussions. - I set new processes that streamlined decision-making at work. But I didn’t stop there. I also: - Explained the concept to my husband (who’s not in product, but found ways to apply it in his work). - Discussed it with a PM friend, and he shared another unique way to approach tradeoffs. - And now, I’m sharing it with you—adding my own learnings to the mix. **The Lenny Slack Community:** As a subscriber, you get access to Lenny’s private Slack community—a goldmine of PM insights, career advice, and high-value networking. - Have a random PM question? Ask, and get responses from seasoned professionals. - Want to learn from others’ experiences? See real-time discussions on managing workplace difficulties, seeking opinions, or breaking into leadership roles. - Need tool recommendations, article suggestions, or strategy breakdowns? This community has it all. **Free Access to Premium Tools:** Lenny also offers exclusive giveaways, discounts, and premium subscriptions to some of the best productivity and PM tools, including: Granola, Perplexity, Linear, Superhuman, and Notion! **Sharpening My Product Sense:** Lenny’s deep dives into product thinking, decision-making frameworks, and real-world PM case studies have helped me refine my approach to building and scaling products. **Writing Better Content & Communicating More Clearly:** By studying how Lenny structures his content, I’ve significantly improved my writing, storytelling, and communication skills—critical for any PM. Sneak Peek into Friends of Lenny Slack Community - You’re struggling with functioning effectively as a PM (influence, prioritization, leadership). - You want to meet more PMs, expand your network, and connect with industry leaders. - You’re looking for your next big career jump and need high-quality insights. - You want to replace doomscrolling with constructive and continuous learning. - You’re not familiar with PM fundamentals—the content is advanced and assumes some PM knowledge. - Lenny’s writing style doesn’t work for you (though he also has podcasts!). - You’re currently overwhelmed and don’t have time to invest in learning. Lenny’s Newsletter isn’t just about reading—it’s about elevating your career. Great PMs aren’t just born—they are made through continuous learning, strategic networking, and staying ahead of the curve. Subscribing to Lenny’s Newsletter is about—buying access to knowledge that can shape your career. Since the subscription, I’m in a continuous learning loop, surrounded by PMs who are just as ambitious and driven as I am. And that’s one of the best places to be. I’ve personally benefited from it, and if you’re serious about product management, I highly recommend checking it out. 👉 **[Subscribe to Lenny’s Newsletter](https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/?r=8c58k)** (Not sponsored—just real talk!) 💬 _Already a subscriber? What’s the biggest insight you’ve gained from Lenny’s content? Drop a comment below!_ Next week is a special one—I’m teaming up with **Ari Janover, Principal PM at Asana!** 🎉 We’re diving deep into: finding your PM niche, redefining job search strategies, and unlocking insider tactics to land an awesome PM job in this competitive market. You won’t want to miss it! _If you found this insight valuable, **don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!** Let’s keep learning together and **Become 1% Better PM** everyday. Your support helps me reach more aspiring product managers on their journey._