This CPO regrets that product management exists | Tom Verrilli (CPO of Whatnot)

Product management functions often suffer from over-hiring, where default HR ratios create unnecessary layers that infantilize engineers and designers. Instead of assuming a PM is required for every team, companies should treat product management as a specialized trade used only when specific needs arise. This approach prevents the erosion of technical and design "muscles" and fosters a culture where cross-functional teams make autonomous, high-quality decisions. Senior product leaders, including VPs, should prioritize individual contributor work to remain connected to ground truth and accelerate execution. AI tools further empower non-PMs to query data and understand code bases, reducing reliance on traditional management layers. Success in this model requires a constant "accordion" motion: zooming out to define strategic goals and zooming in to execute and iterate based on real-time data and user feedback.