Building Your First Product Organization: Insights from Docker's CPO Giri Sreenivas

In this episode of 'Never Too Early,' host Lauren Ipsen, Talent Partner at Decibel, interviews Giri Sreenivas, Chief Product Officer at Docker, about essential strategies for founders building their product organizations for the very first time. The conversation addresses when to hire your first PM, the importance of founders remaining involved in the product vision, and the pros/cons between hiring a CPTO versus two different leaders. Giri shares his experiences from being a founder to building products at scale, offering valuable advice on hiring, managing product teams, and achieving product market fit. Key takeaways include understanding the optimal time for bringing in a PM, the roles of product leaders, and practical tips for maintaining a balance between founder oversight and effective delegation.

00:00 Introduction to Never Too Early

00:19 Meet Giri Srinivas

01:23 Question 1: When is the right time to hire your first PM? Giri talks about how the founder should really be playing the part of the PM, perhaps even longer than you might imagine.

05:11 Question 2: How do you determine the right seniority of your first product hire? Giri talks about how he tends to lean towards hiring a PM rather than a Head of Product until you feel that you have established PMF.

08:56 Question 3: What is the right DNA for your first Head of Product? Giri personally has a bit of a bias towards a more technical type of product leader. Here’s why.

13:16 Question 4: What is the most productive way to set up your EPD organization? Giri discusses the pros and cons of the “four musketeer model” as well as hiring a CPTO or one person to own it all.

17:14 Question 5: Do you have any other final tips for founders? Giri has a unique perspective being a multiple time founder and most recently a Chief Product Officer at a growth-stage company. He reminds founders of the importance of staying close to the product strategy and the executive leaders that you hire.

19:16 Conclusion

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