Cigdem Heaver
Senior Product Manager
When I first approached James, I had been job searching for five months with no clear strategy. At the same time, I’d left my role due to personal reasons, moved back home, and was navigating major life changes. I needed clarity, confidence, and direction — and that’s when I turned to James.
My application success rate was very low, but James quickly changed that. After rebuilding my CV together, I started getting noticed by major companies. He then gave me a clear, structured plan for improving my pitch and interview performance, which kept me focused and accountable.
Within three months, I landed an excellent new role with a highly competitive salary.
What I appreciated most was James’s mix of professionalism, warmth, and responsiveness. His coaching is practical, tailored, and genuinely transformative.
I’d highly recommend James to any PM looking to elevate their career. I’ll also continue working with him as I grow into the Product Leader I aspire to be.
Alex Sheard
PM @ Kraken
James was my coach for four months, and I honestly couldn’t recommend him more. He has a broad set of skills and experience, and he adapts his coaching to what you actually need. Over the months we worked together, we dug into experimentation, stakeholder management, ways of working, and support across ongoing discovery and delivery. We also stepped back to look at the bigger picture and my career goals for the next three to five years.
I recommend James not just because he’s a great coach, but because he’s a genuinely lovely human who cares about product and will back you all the way in your growth.
Mahmoud El-Azzeh
VP Product
I had the pleasure of spending time with James through both Product Sphere and in 1:1 settings and I cannot understate how valuable his insight is, especially when it comes to building your online profile on LinkedIn. James helped me understand the dynamics of content creation, what engages people and generates new followers, all while formulating a personal brand that has helped me unlock doors with new opportunities both personally and professionally. Every meeting with James has resulted in unearthing a new learning that is both practical and effective. When you combine James' depth of knowledge, personability and his practical-focused coaching style, you effectively have a tri-force of wisdom. I highly recommend James to Product people at any point in their career who are looking to go to the next level!
Andrew Shapiro
Lead Product Manager
After over a year of unsuccessful solo job searching during a particularly challenging period, working with James was a game-changer. His coaching helped me transition from extended unemployment to receiving two competitive offers simultaneously for roles I was genuinely excited about.
James brought incredible energy to each session and coached me through every aspect of the process—from interview preparation to framing my experiences in ways that resonated with hiring managers. His guidance during salary negotiations was particularly valuable, helping me secure a 15% compensation increase that more than covered his coaching fee.
What sets James apart is his combination of strategic expertise and genuine investment in his clients' success. He worked tirelessly to help me achieve the outcomes I needed to move forward in my career. I highly recommend working with James—he truly transforms both your approach and your results. I'm excited to continue working with him as I grow in my new role.
Desmond Leo
Chief Product Officer @ (TBA)
I don't think I would have made it through my job search in one piece without James.
Before joining his community, I spent over a year applying on my own. It was exhausting and pretty demoralising. As a senior leader, I thought I had things fairly well-polished, but James provided invaluable insight that helped me stand out even more.
His resume reviews, mock interviews, and LinkedIn feedback were extremely helpful. He was also willing to review each one as many times as it took to get things right. On top of that, he supported me through a negotiation process that didn’t follow any standard playbook. It wasn’t a typical job offer (it was more like a business conversation) and he helped me think through it from multiple angles, not just as a candidate but as a peer.
What really made a difference, though, was the space he created. Being surrounded by others facing the same tough market helped me get out of my own head. That network kept me sane, gave me perspective, and helped rebuild my confidence at a time I really needed it.
If you’re a product professional or product leader navigating this market, James gets it. And he’s willing to provide you with real, thoughtful support.
Shahnoza Tursunzoda
🌍 Product Manager with 5 years of product experience | 🤝 B2B, B2C & B2B2C | ☁️ SaaS | 🚀 0→1 | 🎰 iGaming & MarTech | 🔐 Identity Verification | 🎓 King’s College London Certified | Fluent in CN, ENG, RU, UZ, TJK
A post of appreciation!
In a market as competitive and uncertain as today’s, the value of genuine support and expert guidance cannot be overstated.
I’m grateful to James Gunaca for his thoughtful mentorship and encouragement throughout my recent efforts in navigating the employment landscape. The mock interviews, in particular, have been instrumental in helping me build
confidence and seeing my blind spots.
James is the founder of Product Sphere - a product management community that believes in elevating each other and supporting career paths in product management. I’ve met and worked with people from around the globe and felt supported by every member of the community I engaged with. A special thank you to Desmond Leo who has always been open to get on a call and provide valuable feedback on my work. Your insights made a significant impact, and I deeply appreciate the time and care you invested.
I feel fortunate to be part of a huge product community that has been so open to meet, share and learn. Thank you for being such an important part of my journey.
If you are looking for the next step in your product journey, I couldn’t recommend working with James more!
Sheetal Aher
Joining James’s Product Manager Job Search Accelerator program was a turning point in my job search. With his guidance, I was able to secure my next role in just two months, something that would have been much more difficult without the structure and support the program provided. One of the biggest benefits was having a clear, step-by-step strategy for approaching the job market. Instead of feeling scattered or unsure about what to prioritise, I had a practical plan that helped me stay focused and make steady progress each week. The five focused workshops were extremely valuable, offering practical frameworks and insights that helped me tailor my approach to my goals and challenges. James has a great ability to simplify what can often feel complicated. His advice was always practical, thoughtful, and easy to apply immediately. I’m grateful for the guidance and would strongly recommend his program to anyone looking for a more structured and effective way to navigate their job search.
Luke M
Senior Product Manager
I managed to land myself a new role in a space I was targeting. James' coaching and interview tips helped a whole lot, thank you!
Rich Nelson
Navigating the product management job market felt daunting until I found Product Sphere and James Gunaca. James crafted a supportive environment with group sessions, community tools, and meet-ups that connected me with fellow job seekers. Crucially, his personalized resume reviews and mock interviews gave me the edge I needed. Product Sphere equipped me with the confidence and refined skills to ace my interviews and secure my new role. It's truly a game-changer for product professionals looking to elevate their job search.
Krishna
Senior Product Manager
James has a remarkable ability to guide you in mapping your experience to the job requirements and presenting it with the right narrative and at the right level. He doesn’t just help with interviews — he teaches you how to pitch yourself confidently, structure your story, and communicate your value effectively. James is approachable, friendly, and understands the ask of the hour perfectly. I have been part of James’ product community for 1 year, and he is a great product coach. His guidance makes a real difference in building confidence and clarity in any high-stakes situation.
Neethu Rani
Product Leader | Amazon, Oracle Alum
You have been a great support for me last couple of months. I was very hesitant to put this phase out there in public but some words of yours helped me to go all out. Thanks to you!
Brian Sutherland
Lead Product Strategy | AI Product Strategist
Something that I always appreciated about your coaching James Gunaca is taking the disciplines we learn as Product Managers and Leaders and applying it to ourselves.
Rounak Choudhary
Senior Product Manager
After months of exploration, interviews, and conversations with different organizations, I've found the right fit. Shout out to James Gunaca and others at Kadima Careers for helping me get clear on my career strategy and find a path aligned with the areas I want to grow.
Simon Wheatley
Sr Manager of Product Management
After spending this summer and autumn searching for my next role, I'm thrilled to say I've completed my first week at Pendo.io as Sr Manager of Product Management 🎉
And thanks to James Gunaca for helping me structure my search, amp up my applications, and improve my interviewing.
Andy
Lead Product Manager, Bupa
I want to say a big thank you to James for all his coaching and support. His help in getting me through the early competency rounds was absolutely invaluable. I’ve recently accepted a new role at Bupa. I came a very close second to an internal candidate for the role that James helped me prepare for, but I stayed in touch with the team and have now secured a Lead Product Manager position within their Clinics area.
Frank Barczak
Working with James was a game-changer. I came into our session with a strong background but a lackluster resume. James helped me frame my experience clearly, highlight the right achievements, and target my job search effectively. Because of his guidance I submitted resumes and got A LOT more interviews.
Joe Miller
Product Manager, SNG
I joined the Product Sphere community because my CV wasn't converting into interviews, and when I did reach the interview stage, I found myself jumping around too much in my responses. James was amazing at helping me rework my CV and prepare for interviews through mock scenarios. His guidance on optimising my LinkedIn profile and mastering the STAR method was incredibly valuable and helped me land my next Product role. I highly recommend James as both a coach and mentor!
Adam Schweig
Product Manager, Service at Comcast (starting in Sept 2025)
I had the opportunity to learn from James through the one-month PM Career Boost program at Kadima Careers, which included group coaching calls, a self-led LinkedIn optimization course, and a one-on-one session where I could ask James anything I needed related to my job search.
Joining the program was one of the best moves I made. It was affordable, focused, and packed with practical insights. James and the team brought sharp product thinking and a clear, practical approach to resumes, interviews, and overall strategy.
They were thoughtful, direct, and honest, which helped me cut through the noise and focus on what I needed to. I left the program with stronger product stories, sharper positioning, and a clearer path forward.
A few weeks after wrapping up the program I landed a remote contract PM role that feels like a solid next step. I’d definitely recommend the program to other product-focused professionals, and I’d consider working with James again as I continue to grow in my career.
Luke Whitesides
James helped me navigate through an increasingly difficult job market and job search process. He is uniquely capable at separating fact from fiction amidst a dynamic and constantly evolving career field. Working with him provided the clarity I needed and helped me improve my interviewing, storytelling, and positioning skills to land a role I am stoked on! Would highly recommend to anyone in the product management field who feel like they need a boost!
Rene Muhire
Senior Product Manager
I recently received a job offer, and I believe the work I did with James significantly contributed to that success. The stories I wrote during our time together proved to be invaluable, and the experience encouraged me to be more thoughtful about the roles I pursue in the future. I’m incredibly grateful for his support throughout the process.
Heather
Lead Product Manager
James is the steady anchor everyone needs when navigating challenging career transitions. For me, this support was invaluable when grappling with the incredibly tumultuous job market this year (2024). James’ coaching combines deep empathy and compassion with ultimate professionalism. He takes your development and goals as seriously as you do. During my job search and coaching from James, I noticed a 150% uplift in response to jobs I applied to directly. James also provided advice and tips on specific interview processes, as well as opportunities to do mock interviews, providing systematic and actionable feedback. In such a challenging job market, James kept me going with a personalised, down-to-earth, and shame-free approach. I genuinely believe I wouldn’t have secured my new role as quickly—or as confidently.
Dan
Product Manager
James brings his experience and expertise, but most importantly his humanity. He is very empathetic and compassionate to the struggle that can be job hunting.
Philip
Head of Product
Thanks to James’s guidance, I’ve gained clarity on my career goals and improved how I communicate my value in interviews. It’s fundamentally shaped how I approach my career, and I couldn’t recommend James more highly.
Kate
Aspiring Product Manager
Working with James has been such a game-changer for me. He offers so much more than just career advice—whether it’s helping with my resume, setting clear goals, or prepping for interviews, everything he does is tailored based on individual needs. He’s not afraid to challenge my thinking either, which has really helped me see things more clearly and push past my own limits. What I love most is how much he genuinely cares and is always asking everybody ‘How he can I help?’. He truly wants to see people thrive and reach their full potential. James is down-to-earth, honest, and works with you at any stage of your career.
Joao
Product Manager
James was crucial to my success during my interview processes for a product manager role. He is very knowledgeable and patient and helped me navigate the challenging product sense interview. We did a mock interview that helped me get the confidence I needed. I highly recommend his services!
Lilian
Product Manager
I don’t think there is a better career investment I could have made than this! I have clarity on how to address so many unknowns with the help of the tools/strategies you’ve shared me. Your coaching style makes it easy for me to remember what we discussed because of the practicality of our discussions which helps me apply the lessons whenever challenges reappear in a new way. I also appreciate that you are such a great listener and you push me to figure things out (with your steady guidance). I appreciate that you are also one of my cheerleaders and probably the only person who fully understands the depths of my work, challenges, and wins. Looking forward to working with you forever!
Luke
Senior Product Manager
I received improved clarity in my job search and career development process and improved confidence in my resume.
Gianmarco
Product Manager
James was incredible in guiding me through the revamp of my CV and helping me practice interview questions. I finally received an offer in April '25, and I have received the same level of support through the offer negotiation, securing an 8% increase in compensation.
Lynsey
Principal Product Manager
I recommend investing in coaching sessions with James. Being able to see the job search 'from above', rather than being trapped inside it has already made a difference to my levels of hope and confidence.
Cigdem Heaver
Senior Product Manager
When I first approached James, I had been job searching for five months with no clear strategy. At the same time, I’d left my role due to personal reasons, moved back home, and was navigating major life changes. I needed clarity, confidence, and direction — and that’s when I turned to James.
My application success rate was very low, but James quickly changed that. After rebuilding my CV together, I started getting noticed by major companies. He then gave me a clear, structured plan for improving my pitch and interview performance, which kept me focused and accountable.
Within three months, I landed an excellent new role with a highly competitive salary.
What I appreciated most was James’s mix of professionalism, warmth, and responsiveness. His coaching is practical, tailored, and genuinely transformative.
I’d highly recommend James to any PM looking to elevate their career. I’ll also continue working with him as I grow into the Product Leader I aspire to be.
Alex Sheard
PM @ Kraken
James was my coach for four months, and I honestly couldn’t recommend him more. He has a broad set of skills and experience, and he adapts his coaching to what you actually need. Over the months we worked together, we dug into experimentation, stakeholder management, ways of working, and support across ongoing discovery and delivery. We also stepped back to look at the bigger picture and my career goals for the next three to five years.
I recommend James not just because he’s a great coach, but because he’s a genuinely lovely human who cares about product and will back you all the way in your growth.
Mahmoud El-Azzeh
VP Product
I had the pleasure of spending time with James through both Product Sphere and in 1:1 settings and I cannot understate how valuable his insight is, especially when it comes to building your online profile on LinkedIn. James helped me understand the dynamics of content creation, what engages people and generates new followers, all while formulating a personal brand that has helped me unlock doors with new opportunities both personally and professionally. Every meeting with James has resulted in unearthing a new learning that is both practical and effective. When you combine James' depth of knowledge, personability and his practical-focused coaching style, you effectively have a tri-force of wisdom. I highly recommend James to Product people at any point in their career who are looking to go to the next level!
Andrew Shapiro
Lead Product Manager
After over a year of unsuccessful solo job searching during a particularly challenging period, working with James was a game-changer. His coaching helped me transition from extended unemployment to receiving two competitive offers simultaneously for roles I was genuinely excited about.
James brought incredible energy to each session and coached me through every aspect of the process—from interview preparation to framing my experiences in ways that resonated with hiring managers. His guidance during salary negotiations was particularly valuable, helping me secure a 15% compensation increase that more than covered his coaching fee.
What sets James apart is his combination of strategic expertise and genuine investment in his clients' success. He worked tirelessly to help me achieve the outcomes I needed to move forward in my career. I highly recommend working with James—he truly transforms both your approach and your results. I'm excited to continue working with him as I grow in my new role.
Desmond Leo
Chief Product Officer @ (TBA)
I don't think I would have made it through my job search in one piece without James.
Before joining his community, I spent over a year applying on my own. It was exhausting and pretty demoralising. As a senior leader, I thought I had things fairly well-polished, but James provided invaluable insight that helped me stand out even more.
His resume reviews, mock interviews, and LinkedIn feedback were extremely helpful. He was also willing to review each one as many times as it took to get things right. On top of that, he supported me through a negotiation process that didn’t follow any standard playbook. It wasn’t a typical job offer (it was more like a business conversation) and he helped me think through it from multiple angles, not just as a candidate but as a peer.
What really made a difference, though, was the space he created. Being surrounded by others facing the same tough market helped me get out of my own head. That network kept me sane, gave me perspective, and helped rebuild my confidence at a time I really needed it.
If you’re a product professional or product leader navigating this market, James gets it. And he’s willing to provide you with real, thoughtful support.
Shahnoza Tursunzoda
🌍 Product Manager with 5 years of product experience | 🤝 B2B, B2C & B2B2C | ☁️ SaaS | 🚀 0→1 | 🎰 iGaming & MarTech | 🔐 Identity Verification | 🎓 King’s College London Certified | Fluent in CN, ENG, RU, UZ, TJK
A post of appreciation!
In a market as competitive and uncertain as today’s, the value of genuine support and expert guidance cannot be overstated.
I’m grateful to James Gunaca for his thoughtful mentorship and encouragement throughout my recent efforts in navigating the employment landscape. The mock interviews, in particular, have been instrumental in helping me build
confidence and seeing my blind spots.
James is the founder of Product Sphere - a product management community that believes in elevating each other and supporting career paths in product management. I’ve met and worked with people from around the globe and felt supported by every member of the community I engaged with. A special thank you to Desmond Leo who has always been open to get on a call and provide valuable feedback on my work. Your insights made a significant impact, and I deeply appreciate the time and care you invested.
I feel fortunate to be part of a huge product community that has been so open to meet, share and learn. Thank you for being such an important part of my journey.
If you are looking for the next step in your product journey, I couldn’t recommend working with James more!
Sheetal Aher
Joining James’s Product Manager Job Search Accelerator program was a turning point in my job search. With his guidance, I was able to secure my next role in just two months, something that would have been much more difficult without the structure and support the program provided. One of the biggest benefits was having a clear, step-by-step strategy for approaching the job market. Instead of feeling scattered or unsure about what to prioritise, I had a practical plan that helped me stay focused and make steady progress each week. The five focused workshops were extremely valuable, offering practical frameworks and insights that helped me tailor my approach to my goals and challenges. James has a great ability to simplify what can often feel complicated. His advice was always practical, thoughtful, and easy to apply immediately. I’m grateful for the guidance and would strongly recommend his program to anyone looking for a more structured and effective way to navigate their job search.
Luke M
Senior Product Manager
I managed to land myself a new role in a space I was targeting. James' coaching and interview tips helped a whole lot, thank you!
Rich Nelson
Navigating the product management job market felt daunting until I found Product Sphere and James Gunaca. James crafted a supportive environment with group sessions, community tools, and meet-ups that connected me with fellow job seekers. Crucially, his personalized resume reviews and mock interviews gave me the edge I needed. Product Sphere equipped me with the confidence and refined skills to ace my interviews and secure my new role. It's truly a game-changer for product professionals looking to elevate their job search.
Krishna
Senior Product Manager
James has a remarkable ability to guide you in mapping your experience to the job requirements and presenting it with the right narrative and at the right level. He doesn’t just help with interviews — he teaches you how to pitch yourself confidently, structure your story, and communicate your value effectively. James is approachable, friendly, and understands the ask of the hour perfectly. I have been part of James’ product community for 1 year, and he is a great product coach. His guidance makes a real difference in building confidence and clarity in any high-stakes situation.
Neethu Rani
Product Leader | Amazon, Oracle Alum
You have been a great support for me last couple of months. I was very hesitant to put this phase out there in public but some words of yours helped me to go all out. Thanks to you!
Brian Sutherland
Lead Product Strategy | AI Product Strategist
Something that I always appreciated about your coaching James Gunaca is taking the disciplines we learn as Product Managers and Leaders and applying it to ourselves.
Rounak Choudhary
Senior Product Manager
After months of exploration, interviews, and conversations with different organizations, I've found the right fit. Shout out to James Gunaca and others at Kadima Careers for helping me get clear on my career strategy and find a path aligned with the areas I want to grow.
Simon Wheatley
Sr Manager of Product Management
After spending this summer and autumn searching for my next role, I'm thrilled to say I've completed my first week at Pendo.io as Sr Manager of Product Management 🎉
And thanks to James Gunaca for helping me structure my search, amp up my applications, and improve my interviewing.
Andy
Lead Product Manager, Bupa
I want to say a big thank you to James for all his coaching and support. His help in getting me through the early competency rounds was absolutely invaluable. I’ve recently accepted a new role at Bupa. I came a very close second to an internal candidate for the role that James helped me prepare for, but I stayed in touch with the team and have now secured a Lead Product Manager position within their Clinics area.