Playbook 8: How to crush it as the first product manager in a startup

Being the first PM in a startup? It’s a wild ride. No roadmap, no safety net, just you building the playbook as you go. But that’s also what makes it awesome. Ben Erez, a product pro who’s been the “first PM” at startups like Abstract and Continuum, shares his tried-and-true tactics for getting priorities straight, navigating founder dynamics, and turning chaos into clarity—all without the endless data crutches you’d get at a big corp.

Ben Erez has navigated the waters of being a first PM across various early-stage startups, including Abstract and Continuum, and he’s also led product roles at major companies like Facebook. He’s got a knack for establishing product processes from scratch, making high-impact decisions with minimal data, and fostering a collaborative dynamic with startup founders to ensure the product and vision align.

If you’re the first PM, you’re not just managing a product—you’re creating a framework for how everyone else should work together. Ben says it’s all about speed and high-impact iterations.

Instead of creating endless docs and frameworks, start small. A shared doc with the top priorities can go a long way to keep everyone on the same page without bogging things down.

Forget about data scientists and complex dashboards—Ben says the early stage is all about embracing scrappiness. Set up a basic funnel to understand where users are going and why, then dig deeper by actually talking to them.

It’s not about perfect analytics; it’s about finding the story behind the numbers. A 10% conversion drop where you expected 50%? Figure out the ‘why’ by getting on a call, or a quick survey can be a goldmine of insights.

Founders are great at big visions but may need a little help with the day-to-day. Ben suggests working with your founder to distill that vision into clear, actionable goals that everyone can rally around.

Avoid head-butting by turning founder visions into priorities everyone can agree on, and keep that “shared brain” alive through regular sync-ups. Team unity makes the chaos manageable and the pace sustainable.

At a startup, you’re often flying without a safety net. Ben’s strategy? Embrace tools like Loom for async updates, stay lean on data, and don’t shy away from scrappy methods for gathering insights.

Whether it’s quick surveys, session replays, or simple funnels, make the most of what you’ve got. Focus on velocity, not polish. It’s all about smart, agile moves that keep things rolling.

In startup life, it’s tempting to try to build the perfect product right out of the gate. Ben’s advice? Don’t. Instead, prioritize the features that will actually help your users find value, and let the non-essentials take a backseat for now.

Once you have a minimum viable product (MVP) that users love, you can revisit the finer details. Remember, done is better than perfect, especially when you’re building from scratch.

As a first PM, you’re setting the course, leading the team, and building trust—all while keeping things on track. With Ben’s no-nonsense insights, you can dive head-first into the thrill of startup product management, stay focused, and prove that being the first PM is all about blending structure with scrappiness.

Ready to tackle the first PM role like a pro? Dive into the unknown, keep your founder close, and remember: chaos is your playground when you know how to handle it.