Make Your Own Path

Don't follow big companies blindly

Insight from Stripe

Let's dive into a scenario that's both familiar and a bit nostalgic. You're knee-deep in LEGO bricks, trying to assemble the most epic, jaw-dropping castle known to kid-kind.

But like every kid ever, you're doing it without the instruction manual.

At first, it's all fun and games. You're eyeballing what your buddies are doing, clicking pieces into place, fueled by imagination and a healthy dose of "I've got this."

But then, your LEGO behemoth starts getting complex. We're talking drawbridges, secret passages, the works. And that's when it hits you – maybe, just maybe, those instructions weren't just fancy paperweights.

This LEGO saga isn't too far off from building your startup. It's easy to fall into the "let's do it because they did it" mindset, especially when looking at the heavy hitters like Stripe.

Early on, Stripe took a path less traveled by not appointing official product managers. Instead, they had a next man up mentality to handle PM duties.

Now, this approach worked wonders, given Stripe's DNA as a developer-centric product crafted by, well, developers.

However, as Stripe began to scale and its user base started to diversify (hello, accountants and customer support reps), the need for specialized PMs became as clear as day.

The delay didn't just lead to a few operational hiccups; it brewed internal skepticism and a bit of an identity crisis about the PM role when it finally made its debut.

Stripe's journey underscores the pitfalls of waiting too long to bring in dedicated departments.

So, while it's tempting to mirror the giants, the key lesson is to adapt, not adopt. Stripe's early "no PM" badge wasn't about the absence of product management but rather a different approach to how to serve their customers.

Don't mindlessly follow others down the pit.