From ‘us vs them’ to one product team that delivers

In this practical session, product leader Andrew Tokeley maps the journey from early-stage chaos to a scalable, high-impact product function. Speaking to founders and CTOs, he shares a clear framework for aligning expectations, hiring the right first product leader, and adapting leadership roles as the company grows. The goal: move beyond feature output to measurable business outcomes.

Key themes include:

1. Why product often struggles (and how to fix it)
   The aim is an embedded, business-led product culture where “nobody refers to ‘the business’ because they all feel that they’re in the business.”

2. The Three A’s: Alignment, Applicant, Adaptability
   Alignment: Get clear on what product leaders do and how value will be measured.
   Applicant: Hire for product leadership and influence.
   Adaptability: Add product leadership, set priorities and outcomes. 

3. Strategy that product can actually use
   Think goals, context, bets (hypotheses) and actions with a tight 12-month horizon.
   “Most companies have a strategy… The challenge is articulating it in a way that is consumable and actionable.”

4. Hiring and org design realities
   Expect a matrix org with cross-functional product teams as the primary unit; separate people management from product leadership to avoid conflicts.

Key takeaways:

• Define value upfront: Agree how impact will be measured using leading indicators tied to strategy.

• Start with a senior Product Manager who can influence across the business.

• Clarify scope: Decide where your first product leader will “play” and hire to that need.

• Build insights muscle: Stop flying blind - talk to customers and sit on sales/support calls.

• Shift founders and CTOs into new operating modes; make cross-functional product teams your primary execution unit.

Watch the full presentation to understand the why and how.