Why a Fractional Product Leader Should Be Your First PM Hire

Recently, I've noticed a concerning trend: companies posting junior product roles without having any senior product leadership in place. While I strongly support creating opportunities for junior product managers, this approach sets neither them nor your product up for success. In these scenarios, bringing in a more senior product person or product leader is the better path forward.

I can already hear you thinking, "But we don't have the budget for a more senior person!" However, not hiring experienced product leadership often costs significantly more in the long run. Think of it like dental care – would you choose the least expensive dentist, or someone with proven experience and expertise? And with fractional product leaders, there can be cost savings without sacrificing experience.

Here's why investing in a fractional product leader sets you and your product up for success:

Real Product Strategy

Once your company reaches the scale that requires a full-time product person, you need someone who can own and execute product strategy. This need is often underestimated. A senior product person is far more likely to understand what constitutes effective strategy and how to craft one, compared to someone with only a few years of experience. Strategy isn't simply about following frameworks – it requires deep understanding of how to position, segment, and differentiate your product. This creates a unique value chain for your business. While no moat lasts forever, it's unwise to simply compete on being "the best" when you could be leveraging unfair advantages.

Prioritize Opportunities and Manage Stakeholders

With constant conflicting priorities, customer demands, and lots of “opportunities” that your team wants to pursue. Having someone who knows how to prioritize beyond frameworks, incorporates hard-won experience, and can manage stakeholder expectations around priorities is how you set your product up for success.

Time and Resource Efficiency

If you or a non-product team member ends up managing a junior product person, you'll spend considerable time on course correction. Even with a bright junior hire, you'll invest more time helping them align and execute compared to a senior product person. While your team may have managed without an official product person until now, an experienced product leader will accelerate your progress toward goals, especially by setting the right direction early. Junior PMs often don't know what they don't know, meaning someone on your team must consistently provide guidance.

The AI Multiplier

With a product leader who knows how to leverage their time for the highest impact, that impact is compounded when they use AI. A product leader who knows how to use AI to automate things that don't require strategic thinking, so they can focus on the things that require attention to detail and strategic clear thinking is a major asset.

Strategic Focus

Junior product people, eager to add value quickly, often gravitate toward easily visible improvements. While this enthusiasm is admirable, ask yourself: did you hire a product person to make your product successful, or to "improve" processes and run meetings? A seasoned product leader knows where to invest their time for maximum business and customer impact.

Smooth Transitions

When you're ready to hire a full-time product person, having a senior product leader in place ensures a smoother transition for new hires into your company. You will already have someone experienced in product management and familiar with your business to help onboard them.

While working with a senior fractional product manager or leader offers many benefits, the most crucial advantage is building the right product from the start. This foundation sets your entire product organization up for sustainable success.