Available for consulting

Product Strategy
for Startup Founders

Get clarity on what to build, when to ship, and how to grow. 18 years of experience building products, teams, and companies—now helping you avoid the mistakes I made.

Max

Book a call with me →

What I help with

I help founders think through product decisions. After 18 years building products, teams, and companies—I've seen the patterns that separate successful products from expensive failures.

I'm not here to build for you. I'm here to help you build better.

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Product Strategy & Thinking

  • • Validating ideas before you commit months of development
  • • Defining what to build first and what to cut ruthlessly
  • • Aligning your product to business outcomes, not vanity metrics
  • • Finding product-market fit without burning through runway
Users

MVP Strategy & Validation

  • • Scoping your first version to ship in weeks, not months
  • • Building validation into your development process
  • • Knowing when to pivot, persevere, or kill a feature
  • • Avoiding the over-engineering trap
Sparkles

AI Product Thinking

  • • Identifying where AI adds real value vs. expensive theater
  • • Validating AI initiatives before building them
  • • Understanding what's possible, practical, and premature
  • • Integrating intelligence without over-complicating your stack
People

Team & Process

  • • When to hire your first product person (and who)
  • • Structuring teams that ship, not just meet
  • • Moving from time-tracking to outcome-based management
  • • Building culture that attracts A-players

How it works

I work as a thinking partner on a monthly retainer or fractional basis. We talk through decisions as they come up, I share what I've seen work (and fail), and you get ongoing clarity—not just a one-time conversation.

No deliverables. No execution. No project management. Just thinking together, consistently.

Who this is for

  • ✓ Founders stuck deciding what to build next
  • ✓ Teams needing outside perspective before a big product bet
  • ✓ Founders validating an AI initiative before committing resources
  • ✓ Those preparing to hire their first product team
  • ✓ Anyone feeling like they're building in the dark

Who this is not for

  • ✗ If you need someone to build your product
  • ✗ If you want deliverables and execution
  • ✗ If you're looking for guaranteed outcomes

Frequently asked questions

What does a product strategy advisor actually do?

I help you think through product decisions. That means asking hard questions, sharing patterns I've seen across dozens of products, and helping you avoid expensive mistakes. I don't write PRDs, manage sprints, or build features—I help you decide what's worth building in the first place.

How is this different from hiring a fractional CPO or product manager?

A fractional CPO or PM takes on execution responsibility—they own outcomes and manage teams. Advisory is pure strategy: thinking, discussing, challenging assumptions. You stay in the driver's seat; I'm the navigator who's driven this road before.

What if I'm early stage and don't know if I need this?

Early stage is often when advisory is most valuable. The decisions you make now compound. Getting the product direction right before you've built saves months of rework. A single conversation can prevent a $100k mistake.

Do you invest in the companies you advise?

Sometimes, if there's mutual fit and I believe in what you're building. But most advisory relationships are just that—advisory. No equity, no strings.

How do engagements typically work?

I work best as a thinking partner over time—either as a monthly retainer or fractional advisor. This gives us continuity to work through decisions as they come up, not just one-off conversations. We can discuss specifics on a call.

Can you help with technical architecture decisions?

I can provide perspective on trade-offs and share what I've seen work, but I'm not a systems architect. For deep technical decisions, you'll want someone who lives in the code daily. I'm better suited for product and strategy questions.