L&D Budget Season is Here
Get Your Company
to Pay For This
Good news: Most companies have Learning & Development budgets sitting unused. Even better news: We've made it ridiculously easy to ask for it.
Why Your Manager
Will Say Yes
Here's what they're actually thinking when they read your request
Training existing employees costs a fraction of hiring AI experts.
Every company is scrambling to 'do AI'. Having people who build products and understand it? Huge advantage.
Most companies have 'use it or lose it' training budgets.
You’ll build real AI projects with immediate impact.
The "Just Ask" Email
Template
Customize the highlighted parts, hit send, wait for the yes
E-mail To Your Manager
To:
[Manager's Name]
Subject:
Request: AI Skills Training for Product Management
Hi [Manager's Name], I wanted to discuss a professional development opportunity that I believe would benefit both my growth and our team's capabilities. I've found a program called Curious PM - an eight-weekend cohort-based program designed for people who build products, to build hands-on AI skills. Unlike typical online courses, it focuses on actually building production-ready AI applications. Why I think this is valuable: • Hands-on: I'll build and ship a real AI product, and benchmark it against a shared test set • Immediate applicability: Skills can be applied to [mention a specific project or initiative] • Time-efficient: one three-hour session each weekend, so no working day is affected • Includes a dedicated Claude Max subscription and every other tool and credit I'll need The investment: The course operates on a pay-it-forward model, but a typical contribution is around ₹48,000 incl. GST (or an equivalent donation to someone's education, agreed with Curious PM first, which covers everything except the Claude Max seat). I'd be happy to share more details or discuss how this aligns with our team's goals. Would you have 15 minutes this week to chat? Thanks for considering this! [Your Name]
Pro tip: Send this on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning. Higher response rates!
The ROI Math (For
Your Manager)
Numbers you can take to your manager
Hiring an "AI PM" externally
₹25-40L/year
Sending you to a 2-day AI workshop
₹50-80K (theory only)
(eight weekends, hands-on)
₹48K incl. GST
Value you'll create in first 3 months
One AI prototype that saves engineering time or validates a product idea = already worth more than the investment
Your colleague probably already asked and didn't tell you
End of quarter = easier approvals
Coffee chats beat email 73% of the time
Your colleague probably already asked and didn't tell you
End of quarter = easier approvals
Coffee chats beat email 73% of the time
Your colleague probably already asked and didn't tell you
End of quarter = easier approvals
Coffee chats beat email 73% of the time
Your colleague probably already asked and didn't tell you
End of quarter = easier approvals
Coffee chats beat email 73% of the time
How to Maximize
Your Chances
Tips to Boost Your Odds of Success
Timing is Everything
Ask at the start of a quarter or fiscal year when budgets reset. Avoid month-ends when everyone's busy with deliverables.
Connect to Company Goals
Reference an AI initiative, OKR, or strategy doc. "This aligns with our Q2 priority of exploring AI features" hits different.
Talk to HR First
HR often knows about unused L&D budgets. Ask them: "What's the process for requesting professional development funding?"
Offer to Share Back
"I'll run a lunch-and-learn for the team after." This turns a personal request into team value. Managers love this.
Have a Backup Plan
If full reimbursement isn't possible, suggest splitting it: "Would the company cover 50%?" Something is better than nothing.
Follow Up (Nicely)
No response after a week? A gentle "Just following up on my training request" shows you're serious. Don't be shy.
Timing is Everything
Connect to Company Goals
Talk to HR First
Offer to Share Back
Have a Backup Plan
Follow Up (Nicely)
Ask at the start of a quarter or fiscal year when budgets reset. Avoid month-ends when everyone's busy with deliverables.
Reference an AI initiative, OKR, or strategy doc. "This aligns with our Q2 priority of exploring AI features" hits different.
HR often knows about unused L&D budgets. Ask them: "What's the process for requesting professional development funding?"
"I'll run a lunch-and-learn for the team after." This turns a personal request into team value. Managers love this.
If full reimbursement isn't possible, suggest splitting it: "Would the company cover 50%?" Something is better than nothing.
No response after a week? A gentle "Just following up on my training request" shows you're serious. Don't be shy.
What If They Say...
Common objections and exactly what to say back
