The only PM in the room. Every function at once.
Popcom is a creator commerce and affiliate tracking platform connecting brands with creators and turning influencer content into measurable, commission-based sales. I joined as the first and only PM when the product was half-built, poorly architected, and nowhere near market ready. No processes. No documentation. No PM before me.
What I walked into wasn't one problem. It was several, wearing the costume of a working platform.
The platform was hardcoded and couldn't scale. Onboarding had six steps. A logistics feature was being built into the MVP before the core loop was even validated. I raised all of it. I documented everything. And I kept going.
Here is what Popcom does today: brands launch campaigns and set commission structures. Creators apply, get approved, and receive a unique smart link. Every sale through that link earns them a base fee plus commission. The brand gets real-time attribution. The creator gets paid for actual performance, not for showing up.
• 40+ creators onboarded
• 1 active brand campaign live
• Live at www.getpopcom.com
What I Found and Fixed
Every one of these was a decision I made, documented, and pushed for:
• Hardcoded platform: made the case for proper backend architecture before going to market
• 6-step onboarding: mapped every step, cut to 3 without removing anything essential
• Physical product tracking in MVP: opposed it directly, got it deprioritized, stayed focused
• No age verification: proposed the 18+ requirement for legal and brand safety, got it implemented
• No sprint structure: set up Jira from scratch on week one
In the first three weeks I also ran an in-depth competitor analysis across the creator commerce landscape, mapping how existing platforms handled attribution, creator onboarding, and brand workflows. I identified an emerging competitor the team wasn't tracking and flagged it early. That research directly shaped Popcom's positioning and informed the GTM strategy I built alongside it.
Designed it. Scoped it. Hired for it. Shipped it.
I want to be specific about the design work because most PMs don't do this. I didn't direct Popcom's design. I did it.
I ran UX audits on the website and dashboard in week one. I designed the full mobile app UI in Figma, completed on deadline, approved by the founder. I went through two complete redesign cycles, presenting 12+ concepts before the final direction was locked. I worked directly with developers through every stage of deployment, making decisions in real time.
Beyond the product itself, I built the communication layer around it. In the first weeks I produced decks for three distinct audiences: brands evaluating whether to launch campaigns on Popcom, creators deciding whether to join, and executives needing a clear view of the product vision and roadmap. Each deck was written and designed for its audience. All three were well received. I also worked on the MVP deck and the GTM strategy document that framed how Popcom would go to market.
This matters because a PM who can only build the product but can't sell the vision internally or externally creates a gap that slows everything down. I closed that gap from day one.
On the integration side:
• Finalized API architecture for creator tracking and smart link generation
• Researched and evaluated multiple payment gateways, built a vendor list for the team
• Assessed Shopify pixel integration feasibility during app review
• Navigated RBI wallet guidelines for commission payout compliance
• Scoped storefront integrations and sequenced them into the roadmap
On hiring and operations:
• Interviewed candidates for full-stack and mobile engineering roles
• Sourced and evaluated development agencies, one under ₹1L
• Managed developer contracts, sprint planning, and reprioritization throughout
The Moment That Defined the Role
There were moments where I was the only one raising concerns. I pushed back on a deliberately complex onboarding process when the team wanted to keep it. I flagged technical risks in another stakeholder's setup early, no real backend, product built on a no-code tool. Both calls turned out to be accurate. I learned to trust my instincts and document everything.
Being the only PM in the room means being willing to say the uncomfortable thing out loud, and trusting your instincts when the work proves the point.
Popcom is live. A platform that went from a hardcoded prototype to a functioning creator commerce product in under a year, because one person owned all of it and refused to let anything important fall through the cracks
