August 2024
20 Questions
In the second of this feature where we introduce our team members, we have Issy Rodriguez joining us.
Q1. What pivotal moment or specific challenge early in your career fundamentally changed how you approach your work?
One early challenge stands out clearly. In my first role in the United States, I was working on a major product launch for a business technology solution. I quickly realised that the engineering team and the marketing team were speaking entirely different languages. I found myself acting as an interpreter between the two, trying to translate technical detail into customer value. That experience fundamentally shaped my approach to product marketing. It taught me that success depends on bridging gaps – between departments, between product capability and user expectation, and between strategy and execution. From that moment on, I made it a priority to understand the product as deeply as the engineers, whilst championing the customer with equal conviction. That dual perspective has guided every major project of my career.
Q2. What is the single biggest misconception people have about your role or department, and what’s the real story?
Many people assume product marketing is simply about messaging or glossy launch campaigns. The reality is far more strategic and far more embedded within the business. Product marketing sits at the heart of customer insight, competitive intelligence, product strategy, and go-to-market execution. A large part of our work involves aligning teams around a shared vision; engineering, sales, product management, operations, and leadership. When done properly, product marketing becomes the connective tissue that ensures the product resonates in the market and delivers commercial value. It is rigorous, analytical, and often invisible, but it’s essential to a successful business.
Q3. Looking ahead, what is the one thing you are most determined to change or innovate within the company in the next year?
I want to help our clients adopt a more structured, insight-driven approach to product strategy. Too many organisations make assumptions about their audience or build products in isolation from real customer behaviour. My intention is to strengthen our frameworks for market validation and customer-centric positioning, ensuring every solution launched through JMS has a clear, differentiated value proposition. With new technologies like AI and IoT reshaping industries, the companies that can quickly interpret market signals and refine their product story will be the ones that thrive.
Q4. If you had to summarise your leadership philosophy in just three words, what would they be?
Listen, clarify, empower. I’ve learned over the years that strong leadership has less to do with directing and more to do with enabling people to perform at their best. My instinct is always to gather perspectives, create shared understanding, and give people the confidence and tools they need to execute well.
Q5. What skill that you learned outside of your formal education has been most crucial to your success here?
Cultural fluency. Navigating international markets, diverse teams, and cross-border projects has taught me the value of understanding people’s motivations, communication styles, and cultural contexts. This isn’t something you learn in a classroom; it comes from living and working across countries, listening carefully, and observing how people respond to different approaches. It has helped me build stronger relationships and shape product strategies that resonate across global markets.
Q6. How do you ensure that your team stays creative and takes calculated risks, even when the stakes are high?
I make sure that people feel safe sharing unconventional ideas. Creativity often emerges when individuals are trusted to explore possibilities without immediate pressure for perfection. I encourage teams to validate ideas quickly, learn from early signals, and adjust course with confidence rather than fear. When the stakes are high, clear alignment on the goal combined with freedom in the method helps teams take intelligent risks and think boldly.
Q7. What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
A mentor in Barcelona once told me, “Strategy is choosing what not to do.” It was a simple statement, but it reframed the way I approached product marketing. Focus is powerful. It forces clarity, prevents dilution of the message, and ensures resources are used where they create the greatest impact. I return to that advice constantly when shaping go-to-market plans.
Q8. How has the company culture evolved since you started, and what role do you play in shaping it now?
When I joined JMS in 2018, the organisation was already entrepreneurial, but it has since become more sophisticated in how it approaches strategy and client engagement. There is now a deeper appreciation for structured marketing thinking and a willingness to adopt more rigorous methodologies. I contribute by offering perspective from my years across global markets and by helping ensure our deliverables are grounded in research, clarity and solid commercial logic. I also take great satisfaction in mentoring younger marketers, offering both guidance and constructive challenge.
Q9. Describe a time when a project failed, and what you, or the team, learned from that experience.
During a product launch in my earlier consulting years, a client insisted on a broad, unfocused positioning strategy, despite the market data pointing in a different direction. The launch underperformed because the product tried to appeal to everyone and ended up resonating with no one. It reinforced something I have long believed: clarity of audience and message is non-negotiable. It also taught me to be firmer when data contradicts a client’s instincts, and to advocate more assertively for the evidence-based route.
Q10. What is a quality you actively look for and try to mentor in junior employees?
Intellectual curiosity. Product marketing sits at the intersection of psychology, strategy, creativity, and technology. Those who ask thoughtful questions and are eager to understand the “why” behind decisions quickly become far more effective. I try to encourage juniors not only to learn the frameworks, but to explore the reasoning behind them so they can adapt and innovate with confidence.
Q11. What is your favourite non-work-related book, podcast, or hobby, and how does it influence your leadership style?
I have a deep love of contemporary literature, particularly novels that explore human behaviour and decision-making. Good fiction is an extraordinary window into how people think, act and interpret the world. It reminds me constantly that every market, every buyer, and every team member brings their own narrative. Understanding that human layer enhances empathy, which in turn improves how I lead teams and shape product stories.
Q12. Where do you go or what do you do when you need to completely disconnect and recharge?
I find great peace in walking. Whether it’s a quiet city street early in the morning or a nature trail, walking helps me decompress and think more clearly. It gives me the space to step away from complexity and reconnect with a calmer rhythm.
Q13. If you could have dinner with any three people (living or historical) to discuss strategy, who would they be and why?
I would invite Peter Drucker for his timeless insights on management, Rosalía for her ability to reinvent creatively while staying rooted in authenticity, and Indra Nooyi for her strategic clarity and global perspective. Each of them represents a different form of leadership and innovation.
Q14. What piece of technology or simple tool can you not live without (and why isn’t it your phone)?
I rely heavily on my notebook. Despite all the digital tools available, my thinking becomes much sharper when I sketch ideas or structure a strategy on paper. It brings focus and keeps me grounded in the essentials before everything moves into digital execution.
Q15. If you weren’t in this industry, what completely different career path do you think you would have followed?
I suspect I would have gone into some form of international business consultancy or perhaps teaching. I’ve always enjoyed analysing complex situations, guiding others, and bringing structure to ambiguity. Those instincts would have drawn me to a path centred on strategy and people, even outside the marketing world.
Q16. What’s one thing you are currently learning (professional or personal)?
Emerging AI-driven analytics tools and how they can deepen our understanding of customer intent and product performance.
Q17. What is your go-to method for starting a challenging conversation?
I begin by creating shared ground, clarifying the purpose of the discussion and ensuring both sides feel heard before moving toward solutions.
Q18. What do you believe is the next big trend that will disrupt our industry?
AI-powered personalisation and the integration of smart, connected product ecosystems. These shifts will redefine how customers evaluate and engage with brands.
Q19. What makes you most proud to work for this company?
The commitment to thoughtful, strategic work and the ability to deliver truly tailored solutions. There is a genuine care for clients and a high standard of professionalism across the team.
Q20. What is one personal habit or routine that contributes most to your daily productivity?
Starting each day by reviewing my priorities and aligning them with the broader strategic objectives of the projects I’m leading. It keeps everything focused and intentional.