How do you think about your first 30/60/90 day goals when coming in as the Head of Product Management in a startup that didn't have product management before?

The most important thing you can do as a new head of product is to align with the founder/s and/or your manager on what your role is. Most people assume they did this in the interview process. Yet, misalignment on this question are the most common reasons heads of product fail. You want to know:  How will I be evaluated? “In 1 year, what evidence will tell you I’ve been successful?” Make sure they are specific. For example, if they say something like, “customers are happier,” follow up with: “wh ...Read More

The first product manager of a startup plays a crucial role as one of the foundational members. S/he not only needs to quickly lay the product strategy, create short and long term roadmaps, and build development processes, but also potentially extend responsibilities wherever help is needed, including user research, marketing or even as a QA engineer. Here are initial 30/60/90 day goals to achieve this as the first product manager: 30 days: Be open minded to listen, observe and learn Understand ...Read More

This is obviously very context-specific, but here are some ideas: 30 days: Understand the business strategy, what stakeholders want and levels of confidence Understand the customer base, what's known and not known, and sit in on sales calls and UX research (if that's happening). Understand how the company is shipping product today and where the problems are Understand what data the company has and what else could be collected Build high-trust relationships with your peers and leadership stakehol ...Read More

Embarking on the journey as the inaugural Head of Product Management in a startup without a pre-existing product management framework is both a unique challenge and a significant opportunity. Your first 90 days are essential for laying a robust foundation, aligning the team around shared goals, and demonstrating early value. Let’s refine the plan for the first 60 days with your additional insights: First 30 Days: Observation and Relationship Building Objective: Focus on immersing yourself in the ...Read More