🔹 “You Don’t Need a CPO. You Need Product Leadership”

Many founders think hiring a CPO will solve all their product problems.

But often, what you really need isn’t a title — it’s leadership.

You need someone who can bring clarity to ambiguity, connect your business goals to product strategy, and help your team prioritize the right work at the right time.

At early stages, a Director or even a strong Senior PM with strategic instincts can punch way above their weight.

The goal isn’t to hire a heavyweight name — it’s to find someone who can lead from the middle and grow with the company.

🧭 Start with leadership. Worry about titles later.

🔹 “If You Can’t Brief the Product Leader, You’re Not Ready for One”

Hiring a CPO doesn’t absolve you from product thinking.

If you don’t have a clear sense of your vision, the customer you’re building for, and what success looks like — you’ll leave your product leader flying blind.

They’ll either flounder or fill in the gaps themselves. And if they guess wrong, you’ll both lose time and trust.

The CEO doesn’t need to own the roadmap. But they do need to articulate the north star — and why it matters now.

🎤 Great product leadership starts with a clear, founder-driven brief.

🔹 “Don’t Hire a CPO to Build the Roadmap”

The roadmap is the output — not the job.

If you’re bringing in a product leader just to “figure out what to build,” you’re missing the point.

A great CPO aligns the roadmap with the company’s vision, defines success, frames the tradeoffs, and builds the culture to ship. They create systems of clarity, not just Jira tickets.

🎯 Hire a strategist, not a backlog manager.