Let’s pretend you’re the star of what critics are already calling the next big blockbuster. You’ve shown up every day: learning your lines, hitting your marks, going full glam in the makeup chair. The cameras are rolling, the lights are on, and the set is buzzing. But then it hits you: You have no idea who’s producing the film? In fact, you’re not sure there even is a producer.
You start to notice that some scenes feel off, others are electric, but no one seems to be steering the ship. No one's capturing what’s working, or fixing what’s not. And just when you think it can’t get more confusing—you realize you don’t even know who’s signing your paycheck.
No ask yourself, what are the chances this movie becomes a hit?
If you're building a startup, chances are you've got vision, grit, and a killer idea. Kind of like a Hollywood producer! You may even have a functioning prototype of your product. But if you’re missing a strong Product Manager (PM), you're likely missing the glue that holds vision and execution together.
Product Managers are the connective tissue between strategy and ship date. They don’t just keep the trains running—they make sure the train is going somewhere worth going, with passengers who actually want to be there.
🎯 Not a Feature Builder—An Ambassador of the Customer
Let’s get this out of the way: great Product Managers do not run feature factories.
They don’t just take orders from stakeholders or chase down every customer request. The most important contributions that PMs can make are customer-focused. PMs are relentless about understanding the customer—what they’re trying to do, what’s getting in the way, and what would make their experience better.
They balance stakeholder input with user research, behavioral data, and market signals. Because if no real customer wants or needs what you're building… what’s the point?
In other words: no viable customer = no viable product.
One of the reasons I love the Product-Led Growth mindset is because PLG turns real user value into your best acquisition engine. Unlike gaming a waitlist or chasing CAC hacks, PLG compounds—every great product moment becomes a marketing moment.
🧩 Alignment Is the Real (Hardest) Job
If there’s one thing PMs must do exceptionally well, it’s driving alignment across a cross-functional team. Getting people to disagree and commit, not by forcing consensus, but by guiding teams to agree to disagree productively, and still move forward.
Thinking back to our Blockbuster hit analogy:
The PM is the producer of your blockbuster product—managing timelines, talent, budget, and creative vision, all while ensuring the audience (or customer) loves the final cut.
🛠️ Translators of Vision to Execution
A great PM speaks both “engineering” and “executive.” They bridge the gap between customer need, business goal, and technical feasibility.
They translate abstract ideas into clear requirements that are influenced by:
Customer research and feedback
Business KPIs and strategic goals
Technical constraints
Competitive and market landscape
They don’t micromanage how the solution gets built—but they’re crystal clear on what and why.
📈 They Scale with Purpose
Launching a product is only the beginning. PMs know how to define and deliver an MVP, then scale it with purpose. They track the right signals, instrument the product from day one, and iterate based on real user behavior—not just gut feelings.
Because shipping your MVP and creating buzz don’t define success. Adoption and improvement do.
🧭 Ruthless Prioritization, Strategic Rationale
Every startup has more ideas than time. Product Managers are trained prioritizers—they make tough trade-offs, guided by both data and instinct. As a Product Manager, you need to know when to say “not yet”, “let’s put that on the back burner”, or “no” to features that don’t ladder up to agreed-upon goals. And they say it with empathy, clarity, and a plan forward.
🚀 It’s Not Just About Shipping—It’s About Launching and Landing
PMs are deeply involved in go-to-market strategy. They collaborate with marketing, sales, and customer success to make sure the product not only ships—but lands well. PMs should be conversations discussing the Go To Market plan. Why? Because they will need to align internal teams, craft clear messaging, and ensure feedback loops are tight so the product continues to evolve. Because success isn’t just usage—it’s engagement, love, and longevity.
So… Why Does This Matter for You?
If you’re a VC, technical co-founder, or visionary founder wondering why a product isn’t gaining traction, ask yourself:
👉 Do we have strong Product leadership?
Because tech without product is potential without a plan.
And vision without product is a great idea that no one ever uses.
Bottom line, if you want your startup to scale with clarity, speed, and customer love, then don’t build without Product.