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Side Projects That Make You a Better PM (That Aren't Building Another Todo App)

•By Rasp Team

Every PM thinks they need a side project.

So they build:

  • Another todo app
  • A note-taking tool
  • A habit tracker
  • A productivity dashboard

Here's the problem: You already know how to build these. You're just practicing skills you use every day at work.

The best side projects don't recreate your job. They teach you skills your job will never give you.

Skills like:

  • Building in public and marketing
  • Understanding technical implementation deeply
  • Working with constraints you don't have at work
  • Exploring domains you're curious about
  • Developing taste through creation

Here are the side projects that actually make you better at product management.

Why Most PM Side Projects Fail

Failure Mode 1: Too Ambitious

The dream: "I'm building the next Notion!"

Reality: 6 months later, you've built a login page and lost motivation.

Why it fails: Building a real product takes years. Side project energy lasts weeks.

Failure Mode 2: Solving Fake Problems

The project: "An app to help people drink more water!"

Reality: Nobody needs an app for this. You're solving a problem you made up.

Why it fails: No real users. No feedback loop. No learning.

Failure Mode 3: Just Replicating Your Day Job

The project: Building a SaaS product exactly like what you do at work.

Reality: You learn nothing new.

Why it fails: If you can already do it, why practice?

Failure Mode 4: Never Finishing

The pattern: Start project. Get 80% done. Get bored. Start new project.

Reality: You have 10 abandoned GitHub repos.

Why it fails: The learning is in the finishing and getting feedback.

The Framework: Pick Projects That Fill Gaps

What are you BAD at that would make you more valuable?

Use side projects to develop those skills.

Gap 1: Technical Depth

If you struggle with:

  • Understanding engineering complexity
  • Evaluating technical trade-offs
  • Knowing what's actually hard vs. easy

Side project: Build something with code

Not product managing a project — actually writing code.

Gap 2: GTM and Marketing

If you struggle with:

  • Positioning
  • Marketing copy
  • Distribution
  • Demand generation

Side project: Launch something and get strangers to use it

Not building for yourself — building for an audience.

Gap 3: Business Model Intuition

If you struggle with:

  • Pricing strategy
  • Unit economics
  • Monetization

Side project: Build something people pay for

Not free tools — something with revenue.

Gap 4: Domain Expertise

If you struggle with:

  • Deep understanding of a vertical
  • Industry knowledge
  • Subject matter expertise

Side project: Create content teaching what you're learning

Not consuming — producing.

Project Type 1: The Technical Deep Dive

Goal: Understand what engineering actually does.

The best PMs can read code, understand architecture, and make technical trade-offs.

Most PMs can't.

Project Ideas

Option A: Rebuild a Simple Feature From Scratch

Pick a feature you manage at work. Build it yourself.

Example:

  • Work feature: Real-time notifications
  • Side project: Build a notification system with WebSockets

What you learn:

  • Why engineering estimated 3 weeks for "simple" feature
  • What's actually complex about real-time
  • Trade-offs between approaches

Time commitment: 20-30 hours

Skill developed: Technical empathy

Option B: Contribute to Open Source

Find a product you use. Fix a bug or add a small feature.

Example:

  • Pick an open-source tool you use daily
  • Find "good first issue" in their GitHub
  • Submit a pull request

What you learn:

  • How real codebases work
  • Why code reviews exist
  • What "technical debt" actually means

Time commitment: 10-20 hours

Skill developed: Code literacy

Option C: Build Your Own Tools

Create something that solves your own workflow problem.

Example:

  • A script that automates a repetitive task
  • A Chrome extension that fixes an annoyance
  • A Slack bot that saves you time

What you learn:

  • How to scope small
  • Practical programming
  • Product instincts through dogfooding

Time commitment: 5-15 hours

Skill developed: Builder mindset

Warning: Don't aim for perfection. Aim for functional.

Project Type 2: The Marketing Challenge

Goal: Learn how to get users without a marketing team.

The best PMs understand distribution and positioning.

Most PMs assume "if we build it, they will come."

Project Ideas

Option A: Build in Public

Create something small. Document the entire process publicly.

Example:

  • Build a micro-SaaS tool
  • Tweet daily updates
  • Share metrics transparently
  • Write weekly learnings

Platforms:

  • Twitter/X
  • IndieHackers
  • Product Hunt
  • Dev.to

What you learn:

  • How to talk about your product
  • What resonates with users
  • Community building
  • Feedback loops

Time commitment: 3 months, 5 hours/week

Skill developed: Marketing intuition

Option B: Launch Something on Product Hunt

Build a tiny tool. Launch it. Try to get upvotes.

Example:

  • Create a free Figma plugin
  • Create a Chrome extension
  • Create a Notion template

What you learn:

  • How to write compelling copy
  • What makes people click
  • Launch timing and strategy
  • The gap between "cool" and "useful"

Time commitment: 40 hours total

Skill developed: Launch strategy

Option C: Grow a Newsletter to 1,000 Subscribers

Write weekly about something you're learning.

Example:

  • Document your PM career journey
  • Deep dives on products you love
  • Product teardowns

What you learn:

  • Consistency over perfection
  • How to create value for audience
  • Distribution and growth tactics
  • Writing that converts

Time commitment: 6 months, 3 hours/week

Skill developed: Content creation and audience building

Project Type 3: The Revenue Generator

Goal: Understand what makes people actually pay.

The best PMs have intuition about pricing and monetization.

Most PMs have never made $1 from their own product.

Project Ideas

Option A: The Micro-SaaS

Build the smallest possible paid product.

Examples:

  • A tool that saves a specific type of professional time
  • An API that solves a niche problem
  • A specialized calculator or generator

Goal: Get to $100 MRR

What you learn:

  • Difference between "I'd use this" and "I'd pay for this"
  • How to price
  • What support means at small scale
  • Payment friction

Time commitment: 3-6 months

Skill developed: Business model intuition

Option B: The Digital Product

Create and sell something once.

Examples:

  • Notion template marketplace listing
  • Figma design system
  • Spreadsheet template
  • Mini course or guide

Goal: Make $500 in sales

What you learn:

  • How to package value
  • Pricing psychology
  • Sales copy
  • Distribution

Time commitment: 2-3 months

Skill developed: Pricing and positioning

Option C: The Freelance Gig

Sell PM services directly.

Examples:

  • Product teardowns for startups
  • PRD writing service
  • Product strategy consulting

Goal: Land 3 paid clients

What you learn:

  • How to sell yourself
  • Client management
  • Scope definition
  • Pricing services

Time commitment: 3 months, 5-10 hours/week

Skill developed: Sales and consulting

Project Type 4: The Domain Deep Dive

Goal: Build genuine expertise in a new domain.

The best PMs are experts in their domain (fintech, healthcare, DevTools, etc.)

Most PMs only have surface knowledge.

Project Ideas

Option A: The Research Publication

Deep dive into a domain. Publish comprehensive research.

Example:

  • "The Complete Guide to [Industry] Tech Stacks"
  • "How [Vertical] Companies Make Money"
  • "The State of [Domain] in 2026"

Format:

  • 5,000+ word article
  • 20+ company/product analyses
  • Data, charts, insights

What you learn:

  • How an industry really works
  • Competitive landscape deeply
  • Market dynamics
  • Pattern recognition

Time commitment: 2-3 months, 10 hours/week

Skill developed: Domain expertise

Option B: The Podcast

Interview 10-20 people in a specific domain.

Example:

  • Talk to PMs at fintech companies
  • Interview healthcare startup founders
  • Chat with DevTool users

What you learn:

  • Industry pain points
  • Common patterns
  • How decisions get made
  • Inside perspectives

Time commitment: 3-4 months, 5 hours/week

Skill developed: Network and domain knowledge

Option C: The Comparative Analysis

Deeply analyze 10-20 products in one category.

Example:

  • "I Used 15 Project Management Tools for a Week Each"
  • "Comparing Every Email Marketing Platform"
  • "The CRM Landscape: A PM's Guide"

Format:

  • Detailed writeup
  • Comparison matrix
  • Pros/cons
  • Use case recommendations

What you learn:

  • What differentiation actually means
  • Feature table-stakes
  • Positioning nuances
  • Pricing models

Time commitment: 2 months, 8 hours/week

Skill developed: Competitive analysis and taste

Project Type 5: The Creative Experiment

Goal: Develop taste and judgment through creation.

The best PMs have strong opinions about design, UX, and experience.

Most PMs defer entirely to designers.

Project Ideas

Option A: The Daily Design Challenge

Redesign one small thing every day for 30 days.

Examples:

  • Day 1: Improve LinkedIn's connection request flow
  • Day 2: Redesign Stripe's pricing page
  • Day 3: Fix Amazon's checkout on mobile

Format:

  • Screenshot + annotation
  • Post on Twitter/LinkedIn
  • 15-30 min per day

What you learn:

  • How to critique UX
  • Design patterns
  • Copywriting
  • Attention to detail

Time commitment: 30 days, 15-30 min/day

Skill developed: Design intuition

Option B: The Product Teardown Series

Deeply analyze products you admire.

Example:

Weekly teardowns of:

  • Onboarding flows
  • Pricing strategies
  • Feature launches
  • Growth tactics

Format:

  • Written analysis (1,000-2,000 words)
  • Screenshots and annotations
  • Hypotheses about decisions
  • Published publicly

What you learn:

  • How great products work
  • Strategic thinking
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication

Time commitment: 3 months, 4 hours/week

Skill developed: Product sense

Option C: The Prototype Studio

Build one throwaway prototype per week.

Examples:

  • Paper prototype of app idea
  • Figma mockup of feature
  • No-code prototype with Webflow/Bubble

Goal: Volume over perfection. 12 prototypes in 12 weeks.

What you learn:

  • Rapid iteration
  • How to scope small
  • What's essential vs. nice-to-have
  • Prototyping tools

Time commitment: 3 months, 3-5 hours/week

Skill developed: Speed and prototyping

The Projects That Changed Real PMs

Real examples from successful PMs:

Example 1: The Newsletter That Became a Career

PM: Sarah Chen

Project: Weekly product teardowns newsletter

What happened:

  • Started writing weekly analyses of SaaS products
  • Grew to 5,000 subscribers in 18 months
  • Got job offers from companies she analyzed
  • Eventually hired as Head of Product at one

Skill gained: Product analysis, writing, audience building

Time investment: 3 hours/week for 18 months

Example 2: The Open Source Contribution That Taught Technical Depth

PM: Alex Rodriguez

Project: Contributed to PostHog (open-source analytics)

What happened:

  • Fixed small bugs
  • Added minor features
  • Learned Python and React deeply
  • Gained credibility with engineering teams at work

Skill gained: Technical empathy, code literacy

Time investment: 10 hours/month for 6 months

Example 3: The Micro-SaaS That Taught Monetization

PM: Jordan Kim

Project: Built a Slack bot for standup automation

What happened:

  • Charged $5/month per team
  • Got to $2k MRR
  • Learned pricing, support, churn intimately
  • Eventually sold for $40k

Skill gained: Business model intuition, pricing strategy

Time investment: 15 hours/week for 8 months

Example 4: The Twitter Thread Series That Built Authority

PM: Marcus Williams

Project: Weekly threads on PM frameworks

What happened:

  • Posted one framework/week as Twitter thread
  • Grew to 30k followers
  • Companies started reaching out
  • Landed CPO role at Series B startup

Skill gained: Clear communication, framework thinking, personal brand

Time investment: 2 hours/week for 12 months

How to Pick Your Side Project

Step 1: Identify Your Gap

Ask:

  • What skill would make me more valuable?
  • What do I avoid at work because I'm not good at it?
  • What do senior PMs have that I don't?

Common gaps:

  • Technical depth
  • Marketing/distribution
  • Business model understanding
  • Domain expertise
  • Design judgment

Step 2: Choose Based on Energy, Not Obligation

Ask:

  • What sounds fun, not just useful?
  • What would I do even if it didn't help my career?
  • What gives me energy vs. drains it?

Warning: "Should" projects fail. "Want to" projects succeed.

Step 3: Commit to Finishing

Ask:

  • Can I finish this in 3 months?
  • Can I ship something imperfect?
  • Can I define "done"?

Rule: Small finished project > large unfinished project

Step 4: Build in Public

Ask:

  • Can I share progress weekly?
  • Can I document what I learn?
  • Can I get feedback from others?

Why: Accountability + learning amplification

The Side Project Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Perfectionism

Problem: "It's not ready to ship yet."

Reality: You'll never feel ready.

Fix: Ship at 80%. Get feedback. Iterate.

Mistake #2: Scope Creep

Problem: "Just one more feature..."

Reality: Project never finishes.

Fix: Define done upfront. Stick to it.

Mistake #3: Working in Isolation

Problem: Building in secret until it's "perfect"

Reality: You waste months on wrong assumptions.

Fix: Share early. Get feedback weekly.

Mistake #4: Giving Up at 80%

Problem: The last 20% is hard and boring.

Reality: The learning is in finishing and launching.

Fix: Schedule launch date before you start.

Mistake #5: Not Setting Time Boundaries

Problem: Side project consumes all free time.

Reality: Burnout. Resentment. Quitting.

Fix: Set weekly hour limit. Stick to it.

The Side Project Weekly Rhythm

Monday (30 min):

  • Plan week's work
  • Define deliverable for week

Tuesday-Thursday (2-3 hours total):

  • Execute on planned work
  • Stay in scope

Friday (30 min):

  • Ship what you built
  • Share progress publicly
  • Reflect on learning

Saturday-Sunday:

  • Rest (or explore new ideas)

Total time: 3-4 hours/week

Timeline: 12 weeks to ship something

How to Know Your Side Project Is Working

Short-term signals (1-3 months):

  • You're learning something new weekly
  • You're finishing what you commit to
  • You're getting external feedback
  • You're enjoying it

Long-term signals (6-12 months):

  • Skill gap is closing
  • You're using learnings at work
  • Others are asking for your help in this area
  • You're more confident

Career signals (12+ months):

  • New opportunities appearing
  • Getting promoted/hired based on these skills
  • Building reputation
  • Meaningfully better at your job

Final Thought

The best side projects don't look like your job.

They teach you what your job never will.

Pick something that scares you a little.

Something you're not already good at.

Something that sounds fun.

Then ship it imperfectly.

You'll learn more from one finished project than five abandoned ones.

Start this week.

What skill do you wish you had?

Build a project that develops it.