From PM to Product Executive: Master Strategy, Finance & Boardroom Influence
Elena Leonova
CEO OneRank.io, fmr CPO Spryker
Master the Skills That Separate Senior PMs From Future VPs and CPOs
Most PMs hit a ceiling not because they lack skills, but because they don’t yet speak the language of business.
Companies don’t need more roadmap managers. They need product leaders who think in dollars, not just features — and who can influence executives under real pressure.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: no one teaches PMs how to become that kind of leader.
Not your boss. Not your company. Not free content.
So PMs try to “be more strategic,” but their strategy gets reduced to a backlog, rejected by finance, or ignored by executives who don’t yet trust their judgment.
You deserve better than that.
This course gives you the same strategic operating system used by real product executives - grounded in strategy, financial clarity, and narrative influence.
You’ll learn how to read the business, shape direction, justify priorities with ROI, align GTM and engineering, and communicate in the language CEOs and CFOs actually listen to.
By the end, you won’t just sound strategic.
You’ll think, act, and lead like the product executive you’re ready to become - with an executive-ready strategic plan to prove it.
What you’ll learn
A strategic operating system to think, communicate, and lead like a product executive.
Build a Point A assessment that maps revenue streams, cost structure, market position, and customer economics.
Diagnose business performance using a structured evaluation of product, customer, and competitive dynamics.
Translate business realities into product opportunities using an executive-level diagnostic framework.
Create a mini financial model linking product decisions to revenue impact, margins, and cost structure.
Evaluate strategic bets using ROI, unit economics, and financial trade-offs.
Apply ARR, NRR, CAC, LTV, and margin logic to justify prioritization and roadmap direction.
Turn insights into a clear Point B vision with 3–5 defensible strategic bets.
Use a prioritization method tied to business goals and financial outcomes.
Craft a cohesive narrative that communicates strategy with CEO/CFO-level clarity.
Frame decisions with options, tradeoffs, risks, and financial implications like an executive.
Build an executive-ready 1-page strategic brief and board-style narrative.
Handle CEO/CFO-style questions with clarity, structure, and confidence.
Design a GTM alignment plan that connects product bets to revenue, pipeline, and customer outcomes.
Run alignment conversations with confidence using a repeatable framework.
Translate strategy into cross-functional action that drives real adoption.
Lead with financial clarity, strategic judgment, and organizational influence.
Run a quarterly operating rhythm with goals, KPIs, and strategic reviews.
Build the full Strategic Executive Packet you can use for promotions or interviews.
Learn directly from Elena
Elena Leonova
Co-founder, OneRank.io (ex-CPO Spryker, VP of Product BigCommerce)
Who this course is for
Senior PM or Lead PM who delivers well but isn’t yet seen as an executive - ready to shift from tactical execution to strategic leadership.
Director or Group PM who needs stronger financial acumen and strategic clarity to confidently influence CEOs, CFOs, and GTM leaders.
Founders or Heads of Product who must build a business-backed product strategy and communicate it with clarity to exec teams & investors.
Prerequisites
Competence in core product management execution
You should already operate confidently as a PM or Product Lead. This course is built for those preparing for Director, VP, or CPO roles.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Elena Leonova in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime Access to All Materials
Every lesson, slide deck, template, and recording is yours forever — build a repeatable strategic operating system for your career.
Executive Playbook Projects
Produce real deliverables product executives use: business assessments, strategy drafts, financial justifications, executive briefs, and KPI maps.
Weekly Office Hours & Coaching
Bring your toughest PM → executive challenges. Get direct guidance and personalized critique.
Private Community of Experienced PMs & Directors
A cohort of handpicked peers growing into VP/CPO roles — a network you’ll carry long after the course ends.
Capstone: Present Your Strategy Like an Executive
Deliver a polished strategy and executive brief in a live showcase, building confidence and executive presence.
Certificate of completion
A credential that reflects your strategic, financial, and cross-functional leadership capability.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
15 live sessions • 22 lessons • 9 projects
Week 1
Jan
7
LIVE: The Product Executive Mindset: How PMs Become Strategic Leaders
Wed 1/76:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)Jan
9
(Optional) Weekly Office Hours
Fri 1/95:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Optional
The Product Executive Mindset
Week 2
Jan
14
LIVE: How Product Executives Read the Business
Wed 1/146:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)Jan
16
(Optional) Weekly Office Hours
Fri 1/165:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)Optional
Understanding the Business (Point A Assessment)
Free resources
Schedule
Live sessions
2 hrs / week
Weekly deep-dive live session (~45 min content + ~45 min Q&A), designed to simulate real executive reviews, strategic discussions, and boardroom-style communication. Plus optional 30 mins weekly drop-in coaching for personalized feedback, Q&A, and support on your strategic deliverables.
Wed, Jan 7
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Fri, Jan 9
5:30 PM—6:00 PM (UTC)
Wed, Jan 14
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Projects
1-2 hrs / week
Weekly strategic assignments (Point A Assessment, Strategy Draft, Financial Model, Executive Brief, Alignment Plan, etc.). These are concise but high-impact deliverables.
Async content
1 hr / week
Short pre-reads, frameworks, templates, and video clips that prepare you for the live session and project work.
Frequently asked questions
$1,500
USD