Product

Role in Startup
Product here is about rapid experimentation and iteration. You have a tight feedback loop with customers, collecting data from every user interaction. You’re relentlessly re-prioritizing features to nail your core value proposition.

Objectives
Your main objective is to craft a product that delivers immediate, high-impact outcomes for a narrow set of users. You’re balancing quick fixes with building a scalable architecture. But at this stage, speed often trumps perfection.

Areas of Specialization
Most startups have someone that is just focused on product and the earlier you split this off from the CEO the better.  The head of product is still wearing multiple hats—product management, UX design, user research. The specialization emerges naturally as you discover your customers’ key needs. Over time, you’ll likely define a single backlog that’s ruthlessly prioritized around what drives early adoption and retention.