Should founders be the head of product?
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The role of a founder as the head of product is debated among experts, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Here are some insights from trusted experts:
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Founder Clarity: emphasizes that founders must have clear boundaries on what aspects of the product they will continue to own, even after hiring a head of product. This ensures both the company's progress and the success of the new hire 1.
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Retaining Key Roles: from Shopify suggests that founders, especially in successful tech companies, should retain the head of product role if they are originally product-oriented. Designating someone else as head of product can lead to misalignment and a short tenure for the new hire 2.
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Strategic Importance: argues that founders should abstract themselves from most functions but retain the ones that are their superpower, such as product vision if that is their strength. He notes that hiring execution-focused people while the founder retains strategic oversight can be crucial 3.
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Delegation and Product Strategy: Discussions from experienced leaders highlight that delegating product strategy entirely to a new hire can be risky. Founders often need to remain deeply involved in strategic product decisions to drive innovation and maintain the company's vision 4 3.
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Founder's Unique Role: Many successful founders, like Mark Zuckerberg, maintain a strong grip on product vision even as the company scales, showing the importance of their unique perspective and intimate understanding of the product 3.
In summary, while hiring a head of product can bring valuable skills to a growing team, founders should carefully consider maintaining significant oversight on product strategy and key decisions to ensure alignment and continued innovation.
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