Interview with Matt Sayar – Product Manager at Anomali

I'm happy to share my recent interview with Matt Sayar, Product Manager (PM) at Anomali. Matt is a Cyber PM that is currently in the trenches of the product world at a fast-growth vendor. I worked with Matt when he was at Splunk. I recently asked him about his career journey, topics like how he thinks AI will impact his role, and his advice for PMMs. I summarized our conversation below, and provided a few quotes from our discussion. Matt was kind enough to allow me to share this with you all, so enjoy!

Introduction and Background

Matt's story begins with a childhood dream of making video games, a passion many can relate to. But as he grew up, he realized the gaming industry's grind wasn't for him. So, after getting a degree in Computer Science, he switched gears, diving into the world of software engineering at a defense contractor.

Later he entered the world of cybersecurity in the Identity and Access Management (IAM) domain, where he started to find his groove. He joined a security consulting firm and then worked as a security engineer in the insurance industry, and eventually found a PM role at Splunk focused on Splunk SOAR and Splunk Mission Control. This is where Matt and I first crossed paths as we worked together to bring products to market.

His path led him to a role where he gets to combine his love for tech with a knack for business strategy. It's the classic tale of a tech enthusiast finding his place in the complex but exciting world of PM. His path highlights the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in navigating one's career.