Meet Larry Goldman, Director of Product Marketing at Progress

Today, we shine a spotlight on Larry Goldman, who has been recognized for “Progress Collaboratively,” one of the ProgressPROUD core values we strive to embody every day.

While he’s still in his first year at Progress, Larry Goldman has already made his mark. As a product marketing director, Larry works with a range of people and departments every day to ensure that Progress’s products are delivering value to customers.

A Coloradan, Larry keeps himself busy outside of working hours: Whether biking, gardening or canning pints of salsa and sauce, Larry has no shortage of hobbies and interests.

Learn more about Larry and his experience at Progress so far in the interview below.

How did you get into the tech field? What brought you to where you are today?

It’s been a long and winding road, to paraphrase Paul McCartney. I’ve always found myself straddling the centerline between arts and science, but like many in the field of B2B technical marketing, I didn’t start out with that end in mind. Instead, my formal education was in the sciences—geology and biology. After working for gold exploration companies in the American West, I was able to apply that experience and break into the software industry as a trainer at a mining software company. Following that, I took on a product management position at a statistical software company and somehow found myself building a website and running lead generation campaigns. About then is when I recognized I had an aptitude for communicating technical concepts to a wide audience. I’ve never looked back.

I’ve spent the largest share of my career happily running small marketing teams at startups and companies as large as Oracle. I’ve helped promote everything from enterprise software to Desktop-as-a-Service to e-Learning to managed services. If there’s a throughline in my career, it’s an eagerness to tackle new markets, explore new technologies and continue to grow my skill set. Over the last eight years, I’ve focused exclusively on product marketing, launching products and services and developing quality content that attracts customers. Last spring, a former colleague let me know about an opportunity to work on the Progress Application Experience team, and the role felt like an ideal match.

How does collaboration and teamwork factor into your day-to-day at Progress?

As a product marketer, I rely heavily on teamwork. In the day-to-day, I can complete my work because I collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders: Product management, corporate marketing, demand generation, sales leadership, sales enablement and technical support. The best software publishers foster a culture of openness, fueled by transparency, the sharing of ideas and thoughtful debate. I find that Progress does this very well, and that’s a nod to the high quality of the employees here. I am aware that collaboration works both ways: I reciprocate by making myself as accessible to my team and supportive of my co-workers as I can.

What is your favorite part of your job right now?

Product marketing is something of a chameleon. It can be situated under product, marketing or rarely sales. At Progress, we’re nested under Product, and I am thoroughly enjoying my close interaction with the engineering and product management teams. They’re inclusive and highly organized, with a dedicated focus on the needs of the customer. When I require deeper technical expertise, I know I have knowledgeable product experts who are glad to assist my work. The product team also delivers when they say they will, which makes the go-to-market release planning and launch cycle that much easier.

What do you think makes Progress a great company?

The free bagels. No, I’m just kidding. It’s clearly the people. As a remote employee in Denver, I was initially concerned that it would be a challenge to build strong relationships. That vanished in my second week, when my manager brought together the whole team to build rapport and deep dive on our product portfolio and messaging. Since then, it’s been extremely easy to reach out to—and work with—nearly everyone in the company, despite our size and geographic spread.

At Progress, I’ve found a welcome lack of ego, politics and drama, and a notable emphasis on diversity, respect and competence. That’s a rare combination, and it speaks volumes for the hiring and cultural values at Progress. But still, if the company really wanted to ship some fresh, savory bagels…I wouldn’t say no.

When you’re not working, what do you like to do?

As you might expect for a Coloradan, I try to enjoy the great outdoors as much as I can—exercising, biking, alpine skiing, dog walking—and with my wife and daughter when they’ll join me. I also coordinate a local blood drive twice a year and volunteer for public radio. I fill my spare time with creative endeavors, which lately have been gardening, cooking and working on our 1920s bungalow. This summer, I canned seven quarts of Colorado green chili and many, many pints of salsa and pizza sauce.

I’m also trying to get away from the screen at night and get back to reading. After watching “Reacher” on Amazon Prime (highly recommended), I’ve begun to work my way through the entire Lee Child book series. Beyond that, with our only child headed to college next year, we are collectively stressing over applications and puzzling out what it means to be empty nesters.

Throughout your career at Progress, has there been a certain coworker who has helped you, or who has been your favorite coworker?

I am still in my first year at Progress, so I don’t have a ready answer for you. It’s wisest to not play favorites just yet, don’t you think? I can say that from the very start everyone has been exceptional, from the recruiter who always called me back, to my manager who removes every obstacle, to my fellow product marketers who gladly share their knowledge. At a higher level, I’d nominate the whole Application Experience portfolio team. With steady leadership, tested workflows and a strong focus on the customer, they’re second to none.

What are you most excited about for the future of Progress?

The future of Progress holds such great potential. I’m excited that the business is dedicated to growing both ways: By increasing market share and improving its existing products while also adding new solutions and broadening its technology portfolio. With each new release, we’re continuing to integrate our technologies and bring even more value and functionality to our new and existing customers.

As I see it, part of what makes Progress a success is that each employee seems to balance pragmatism with optimism. We openly acknowledge the challenges we face but never let those get in the way of our continued success. The future is wide open, and I am thrilled to be along for the ride.

To get to know other Progressers like Larry, read more of our employee interviews here.

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