(Michael)More than 20 years helping software companies build, modernize and scale products through critical stages of growth.
I'm a product executive with more than 20 years of experience helping software companies build, modernize and scale products through critical stages of growth. My work sits at the intersection of product strategy, roadmap clarity, platform evolution and experienced leadership for teams that need better decisions, stronger focus and fewer expensive mistakes.
I work as a fractional chief product officer and product strategy consultant for software companies that need experienced product leadership without jumping straight to a full-time executive hire.
I've led product work across enterprise software, data, messaging and platform environments. The through line has always been the same: help growing companies build better products, make smarter decisions and avoid expensive mistakes.
The personal mark I use, m², comes from a long-standing nickname based on my initials, MM. And yes, azDrum is my last name spelled backwards, pronounced "oz-drum" because "az" felt wrong and I was apparently making editorial decisions about my own name. I first used it in my early freelance years, making CD-ROMs and tradeshow kiosks for big pharma and telco clients out of my Jersey backyard. I later recycled it for my MFA thesis work at SCAD, where I explored branding, recall and audience response. When it came time to name the consultancy, recycling it again was a lot easier than coming up with something more pretentious (not that I didn't try).
Something I've become more deliberate about is what the work looks like when it leaves my hands. A slide deck is useful for a moment. Properly structured decisions and working context can keep informing the business for a long time. Every engagement now includes deliverables designed for both: the human readout and the structured layer modern teams actually use for planning, onboarding and ongoing decision support.
My approach is shaped as much by design and systems thinking as it is by product management.
I have formal training and multiple degrees in art and design, and that foundation still influences how I work. It shapes how I frame problems, how I look for patterns, how I simplify complexity and how I think about clarity, usability and fit.
I tend to zoom out before zooming in. I look for what is connected, what is misaligned and what is adding friction. Then I work toward practical decisions that move the business forward.
I'm not here to add theory, process for process's sake or vague innovation language. I help teams get clear, make better decisions and move forward.
My experience is strongest in software environments where products, teams and decisions become more complex as companies grow.
I have also had the privilege of working with some of the most sophisticated brands on the planet. Many of the problems we solved then are still relevant now.
I do my best work with teams that want honest thinking, practical progress and a partner who can adapt to what the business needs.
Sometimes that means a focused package. Sometimes it means a broader retainer relationship. Sometimes it means helping leadership sort through ambiguity before making a bigger commitment.
In every case, the goal is the same: bring clarity, momentum and experienced judgment to important product decisions.
