Read the original at Lenny’s Newsletter ↗lennysnewsletter.com · subscriber post
By Lenny Rachitsky · lennysnewsletter.com · @lennysan on X · YouTube · LinkedIn
Lenny Rachitsky surveys about 30 companies on when they hired their first product manager, finding the typical wait was two to three years, often before product-market fit. The post shows that someone always does PM work regardless, and shares founder and early-PM advice on trust, internal transfers, and early quick wins.
Subscriber post — summary only01Key takeaways
- Most companies hired their first PM two to three years in, though timing varies widely.
- Over half hired a first PM before reaching product-market fit, especially in B2B.
- Founders should ask whether they want, are good at, and are neglecting product work before delaying a hire.
- Early PMs often come from internal transfers, such as engineers, analysts, or growth roles who know the product.
- Hiring succeeds when founders genuinely trust the PM and let them own decisions, and early PMs help most in B2B.
“No matter how long you wait, whether you have a PM or not, someone will be doing the PM duties.”Lenny Rachitsky · Lenny’s Newsletter
“Bring in a PM when you're confident about the direction you're heading.”Tomer London · Lenny’s Newsletter
02Frameworks mentioned
Summary and takeaways written by PM Atlas; quotes are short excerpts. © the original author.