In celebration of International Women’s Day this month, we had the privilege of interviewing Mandy Tang, Product Marketing Manager at Mappedin. She shared her insights on navigating the tech industry, her career journey, and the importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We’re proud to have Mandy on our team and grateful for the opportunity to highlight her experiences and leadership this month!
How would you best describe your role?
As a Product Marketing Manager, I am responsible for leading campaigns, developing go-to-market strategies, and creating high impact sales enablement initiatives. I figure out how to position, message, release, and launch our products effectively. I manage the full product lifecycle, from defining strategies to executing marketing campaigns that showcase product features, benefits, and differentiation.
I also collaborate cross-functionally, to ensure our products are positioned correctly and provide internal teams with the resources they need to communicate product value to customers. As the “go-to” expert on our products, customers, and market trends, I help drive the company’s growth and market success.
What does your typical workday look like?
Morning: My day starts with prioritization and figuring out my to-dos and identifying what’s most urgent. I typically tackle lower-effort tasks first, like creating pieces of sales enablement material, to clear my plate and get into a good rhythm. Once I’m warmed up, I dive into more complex work.
Afternoon: In the afternoon, in addition to meetings, I spend time focusing on larger projects, campaigns, and go-to-market strategies. For example, I’m currently working on the accessibility go-to-market plan, which involves a lot of cross-functional collaboration with various teams. I rely on the marketing team and others to ensure the product is fully ready for launch.
My go-to lunch is: I usually meal prep on Mondays, so I’m set for the week. This week I made chicken cacciatore but on most days I have an english muffin breakfast.
How do you prioritize the product marketing initiatives and campaigns at Mappedin?
I align with business goals, focusing on growing our presence in airports, stadiums, and malls. By understanding customer needs and market trends, I identify what our customers are asking about and their pain points, which helps me develop more impactful messaging. When considering impact vs. effort, I prioritize low-effort, high-impact initiatives that can be completed quickly. For larger, resource-intensive campaigns, I take the time to evaluate necessary resources before execution.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in product marketing, particularly in the context of Mappedin's mapping and location-based services?
I focus on addressing a diverse set of needs across different verticals, balancing technical complexity with clear messaging. With constant innovation, we look to find better ways to display indoor positioning data or improve map processing through machine learning. There's always something new, constantly evolving where old methods are replaced with better solutions, which is ideal for the future of indoor mapping. We stay on the cutting edge of innovation, continuously looking for improvements and actively testing and trialing new approaches.
What trends do you think will shape the future of indoor mapping technologies?
AI will continue to influence how we receive personalized recommendations. We are adding more value to our maps by focusing on personalizing search results. We’re also integrating voice and conversational interfaces to enhance how visitors interact with our solutions. As indoor mapping use cases become more widespread, Mappedin recognizes the need for standardized formats to ensure that mapping data can be integrated across different solutions and technologies.
However, different technology solutions each have their own requirements for how mapping data should function. I envision indoor mapping standards being developed to create a unified format, which could extend to other types of solutions.
How does Mappedin stay ahead of the curve with new technologies or products in mapping and indoor navigation?
Continuing to focus on customer-driven innovation by working closely with customers across industries to understand their evolving needs. We have a deep understanding of what these industries require. As part of the tech industry, we’re working to become an expert in mapping.
Also leveraging AI and automation by incorporating AI and machine learning to automate map creation, improve accuracy, and enhance wayfinding experiences. We are constantly exploring continuous R&D into emerging technologies.
How has your career evolved from a former Map Designer Co-op to a Product Marketing Manager at Mappedin?
When I started as a map designer, I wanted to stay within the realm of urban planning, using map and floor plan design to fully utilize my degree. As I graduated, I began to see these maps as a means of improving accessibility and recognized the positive impact they could have. Transitioning from contractor to full-time provided me with the stability I needed, giving me a safety net to grow beyond my role as a map designer. Over time, I realized that while I understood the process, I craved new challenges and different problems to solve. So, I asked for more responsibility and eventually transitioned into project management.
I started my role with a beta project, which was something I had never done before, especially working directly with the CEO. It threw me into the deep end of what it means to be a project manager. I’m grateful for the support of many managers, who helped me establish a strong presence in project management. This role allowed me to find my voice with customers and eventually become a product expert for them. When an internal product marketing specialist role opened up, many colleagues encouraged me to apply, so I decided to take a shot and succeeded. Throughout this journey, I received great reassurance from my team and realized that no one's career path has to be strictly linear. Mappedin truly fostered a lot of shifts and growth for me along the way!
What has been your experience as a woman in tech, and how do you think the industry has transitioned in terms of supporting gender diversity?
As a woman in tech at Mappedin, I’ve had a positive experience, especially with the strong presence of women in leadership roles. It's empowering to work alongside so many talented women who lead teams and drive initiatives. Over time, I’ve seen the tech industry become more supportive of gender diversity, with more focus on creating opportunities for women through mentorship, networking, and leadership development. While there's still progress to be made in the broader industry, I feel grateful to be part of a company that values gender diversity and supports women in leadership.
What advice would you give to someone looking to build a career in product marketing, particularly in the tech or SaaS space?
Getting to know the product inside and out is the main focus and the biggest challenge. Using the product from the user's perspective is key, as it helps you identify the needs of the audience. Putting yourself in their shoes is important. Observing how people interact with the product in real life, and recognizing where the pain points are, can help you build empathy and shape your messaging and positioning.
This look into Mandy's day has shown the dedication and enthusiasm that drives adoption and growth of our products and solutions at Mappedin. Keep an eye out for more stories about our talented team.
If you’re interested in joining our team, check out our open roles.
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