From Developer to Product Leader: Building InfoGo from the Ground Uo

By Nabeel Alabed

Not long ago, my day-to-day work revolved almost entirely around code. I was focused on features, logic, performance, and solving tightly scoped technical problems. Today, I lead a team building a full digital banking platform from scratch.

The shift from software developer to technical product manager was not something I had carefully mapped out in advance. It emerged through need, trust, and a willingness to step into uncertainty.

The Origin: Solving the Innovation Paradox

The idea for InfoGo began with early conversations alongside our CEO, Tucker Sholtes, and our Chief of Staff, Ryan Mody. At the time, many credit unions were facing the reality of their existing digital banking platforms being sunset. The question was not only how they would replace those tools, but whether they could do so in a way that was sustainable, modern, and financially realistic.

At Infonancial, we have always been driven by a central tension that shapes much of what we build: how to give credit unions the tools they truly need, without pricing them out of innovation. Out of that tension, InfoGo started to take form.

Once it became clear that this was the direction we wanted to pursue, a new question emerged: Who would lead it?

The product did not exist yet. There was no blueprint, no inherited roadmap, and no safe reference point. That was when it was decided that I would take on the responsibility of leading the project.

Navigating Uncertainty and Ambiguity

What challenged me most was not the technology itself, but the responsibility that came with leading people and uncertainty at the same time. Moving into a role where I had to consistently plan, align priorities, and still make decisions in situations that were often fluid and unpredictable forced a fundamental shift in how I worked.

• As a developer, I was trained to seek control through precision and logic.

• As a product leader, I had to become comfortable operating in ambiguity, balancing long-term vision with short-term constraints, and supporting a team through moments when the path forward was not always clear.

That tension, while difficult, became the most formative part of the journey.

From Internal Artifacts to Real-World Impact

One moment, in particular, made the entire transition feel real. When we delivered our first demo to prospective clients, it felt surreal. Months of discussions, designs, architecture decisions, late nights, and evolving requirements were no longer just internal artifacts. They were now tangible and moving toward real-world use.

From beginning to end, this journey from zero to product taught me more than I could have anticipated.

• I learned how to think in systems rather than features.

• I learned how to translate business needs into technical direction.

• I learned how much leadership is about communication, patience, and trust rather than authority.

Most importantly, I learned how powerful a strong team can be when developers, product, and management are aligned around a shared purpose.

Building Rather Than Borrowing

Today, we are very close to beginning client onboarding for InfoGo. The trust that our early partners have placed in us is something I do not take lightly. This product reflects the effort, creativity, and resilience of an entire team, supported by leadership that believed in building rather than borrowing.

My journey with InfoGo reshaped how I view my role in this industry. I did not leave development behind. I expanded it. From writing code to shaping vision, from solving isolated problems to building long-term platforms, the transition continues to teach me what it truly means to build.

None of this would have been possible without the team that showed up every day with commitment, patience, and belief in what we were building.