Ross Hanson, Product Owner at Plexure

An early fascination with his home computer led Ross Hanson, Product Owner at Plexure on the tech career path early and he has never looked back. We caught up with Ross to learn more about what it is really like to work in Product, how Plexure has provided an environment that has enabled him to grow alongside some great people and some sage advice from his mum on wearing the right shoes. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Ross!

Firstly, how would you explain to a five year old what it is you do?

Imagine you want to go outside. If it's rocky, Mum says to wear shoes so you don’t hurt your feet. But if it’s soft grass, you might not need shoes. I help teams decide what’s needed depending on where they’re going - just like asking Mum if you need shoes or not.

And for the adults, what does that translate to in regards to your day-to-day?

As a Product Owner, I act as the voice of the client for our engineering teams. I make sure we understand the problem clearly and solve it in the best way possible, considering all our priorities. I get to collaborate with many teams and people on interesting challenges.

My day typically includes:

• Talking with clients, stakeholders, and internal teams
• Reading and writing documentation
• Planning and prioritising work with the team

What are some of the common misconceptions about working in Product?

Product Owner roles can vary widely between companies. A common misconception is that we just run agile ceremonies.

While that might be true in some places, a good Product Owner provides direction, helps the team stay focused, and makes their work more productive and satisfying by ensuring they’re solving the right problems and have the right information.

Was working in tech something you dreamed about doing as a kid, if not what was?

As a kid, I loved our home computer (or more specifically its games) and thought I’d do something with them when I grew up.

In high school, I leaned toward engineering or electronics, but university physics papers changed my mind! I enjoyed computer science much more, switched majors, and started my career as a database administrator. I’ve been in tech ever since.

Tell us a little bit more about your career journey and, ultimately, about how you ended up working at Plexure?

Before joining Plexure, I worked in database administration, software support, and IT support.

At Plexure, I started in customer support, where I worked across teams to diagnose data issues and liaise with key clients. That experience led to an opportunity to join the product team, where I now help guide engineers to build great solutions for our client.

What is the best piece of career advice you have ever received?

Don’t be afraid to try different paths early in your career. Even if a job change doesn’t work out, the experience and skills you gain are valuable and may come in handy later.

Ultimately, aim to find a role and company that’s satisfying and aligns with what you want out of life.

What are the core skills required to be good in your role?

Curiosity: wanting to understand what’s being asked and why Strong communication: working with people from diverse backgrounds and technical levels Prioritisation: balancing competing needs and making tough calls when necessary

Lastly, as Plexure continues to grow and evolve, what are the key traits and characteristics of people who will be well-placed to work there?

Curiosity, kindness, cooperation, and drive. Plexure has some of the best people I’ve worked with, and we tackle interesting problems together. Everyone plays a part in building great solutions.