The Process Obsolescence Mindset
by Sachin Monga • Head of Product at Substack
Sachin is the Head of Product at Substack, having joined through the acquisition of his startup, Cocoon. Previously, he spent seven years at Facebook working on video, camera products, developer platforms, and leading the ads growth team.
🎙️ Episode Context
Sachin Monga discusses Substack's evolution from a simple tool for writers into a powerful subscription network, highlighting the legendary 'Recommendations' feature that drives 70% of growth. He contrasts product management at hyper-growth startups versus established giants like Facebook, emphasizing the importance of user agency over algorithmic feeds. The conversation covers how to build trust with founders, the 'Build with Writers' product philosophy, and the future of the creator economy.
Problem It Solves
Product leaders getting stuck trying to design the 'perfect' organizational structure or planning process in a high-volatility environment.
Framework Overview
In hyper-growth startups, the definition of a 'good job' changes constantly. Leaders must accept that any process implemented today will likely break in 3-6 months. The goal is not a stable process, but continuous adaptation of the process to match the company's current scale.
🧠 Framework Structure
Anticipate Obsolescence: Assume your ...
Facilitation over Decision: The Head ...
Time as the Variable: Unlike Big Tech...
Trust through Reps: Build alignment b...
When to Use
During the transition from early-stage startup (no PMs) to growth stage (building the first product teams).
Common Mistakes
Trying to import heavy processes from previous Big Tech jobs (like Facebook/Google) that stifle speed; getting frustrated when a process breaks.
Real World Example
When joining Substack, Sachin focused his first few months purely on facilitating communication between the CEO and new teams, rather than establishing rigid roadmaps immediately.
Whatever our process is, we're never going to have a perfect one. And even if we did, it would soon be obsolete because we did a really good job and now we've grown 2X.
— Sachin Monga