The app for independent voices
81% of PMs say they own strategy. But only 25% of companies provide clear strategic direction.
Many PMs feel like they’re flying blind.
The good news?
Every product has a strategy. And you can and should reverse-engineer it.
Spoiler: what you find might surprise you.
We see those examples everywhere:
Atlassian acquired Loom based not on its official strategy, but the revealed strategy after studying user behavior.
Discord pivoted from a gaming platform to a general community platform after discovering 78% of users weren't even gamers.
dbt Labs transformed from a plateauing consultancy into a $4.2B SaaS company after realizing their internal tool was more valuable than their core business.
Want to know more?
In his new free post, Mike Goitein shares a proven framework to reverse-engineering strategy with templates:
Why Leaders Fail at Strategy
The "Playing to Win" Framework
4-Step Process to Reverse-Engineer Your Strategy
Strategy Reverse-Engineering: Practitioner Insights
Key Questions to Ask During Reverse-Engineering
Your Three Options After Reverse-Engineering
The Strategic Choice Cascade: Templates and Takeaways
Six Critical Questions You Need to Get A Strategy Reality Check
A Challenge to You as a PM
No email, no paywall:
---
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲:
Reverse-engineering is a critical competency that only grows in importance as you progress in your career, from IC PM to product leader, and beyond.
Every day, the gap between your hidden, stated, and actual strategies gets wider, making informed product decisions harder.
So, start reverse-engineering today.
*𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦: Aha!
---
P.S. Want to build an AI Product Strategy?
I recommend the AI Product Strategy Cohort taught by Miqdad Jaffer (OpenAI).
The next session: Sep 27, 2025. Me and Michael will be joining too.
A special $550 discount for our community: bit.ly/strategy-tpc
