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Product Leadership
On Demand
Hands-on product work for SaaS Founders who need clarity and traction
Solving the Product Gap
For Bootstrapped to Series A SaaS Founders
As a Founder, you've built something bold by staying in the details and leading with vision. But now, your days are packed with selling, scaling, and leading the charge. Your vision matters more than ever, and every product decision feels high stakes.
It's too early for a full-time product leader, but too risky to keep winging it as your engineering team grows.
That’s where Arbor fits. You need a bridge — a "fractional" full-stack product partner who can bring time-tested methods, turn your vision into concrete action, and build the right type of team for your next stage.
Skip the hiring drama. Get flexible, fractional product leadership for this next stage of growth.
Hi, I'm Evan Michner
As a fractional product leader, I bring 20 years of battle-tested experience from world-class SaaS companies like FullStory and Atlassian to early-stage companies that need guidance without the full-time commitment.
As VP of Product & Design at LaunchNotes (Series A), I launched an AI agent product featured by Anthropic. At FullStory (Series D), I led product management as the business grew to $100M+ ARR. Before that, I shaped Atlassian's real-time communication products pre/post IPO, and help build HEB's 200-person digital team to usher the retail giant through digital transformation. I’ve co-founded a company, and worked alongside many founders building, scaling, and navigating the chaos.
I believe the heart and soul of great product work is editing and ordering — crisp focus on the most valuable investments. As a result, I prioritize shipping over debating, designing experiences that are simple as they are powerful, and making pragmatic decisions that keep teams moving forward.
My approach is rooted in tight execution and strong storytelling:
  • Turn vision into traction: I connect the dots between vision, customer insights, and work — fast.
  • Build product systems that scale: From roadmaps to metrics, I install lightweight processes and rhythms.
  • Sharpen what ships: I lead feedback loops between users, execs, and cross-functional teams to build what matters.
  • Strengthen product narratives: I craft crisp stories that align teams and attract customers, hires, and investors.
Learn more about me: Connect on LinkedIn, and read my writing on Substack, Words On Product.
Get a Head of Product
Without the Hire
From hands-on leadership to targeted sprints, these partnership options are designed to plug in quickly and drive real progress. Getting started is easy, ramp-up is fast, and every engagement is tailored to your stage, goals, and team.
Fractional Product Executive
Monthly retainer · 2+ months
Embedded leadership, ~1-2 days / week
  • Lead and grow your product team
  • Set priorities that align with goals
  • Install high-output product rituals
  • Build systems that outlast my time
  • Hire and onboard your next product lead
Fixed Product Engagement
Flat-rate · Time-boxed (2–4 weeks)
Fast, focused sprints with clear deliverables
  • Overhaul product strategy
  • Plan and de-risk your MVP
  • Revamp packaging and positioning
  • Design hiring blueprints
  • Audit journeys and friction points
For transparency, pricing for fractional and fixed engagements is rooted in a $215–$315/hr rate, but this isn’t hourly work. You’re not getting a contractor or freelancer watching the clock — you’re partnering with a fractional product executive focused on execution and outcomes, not time blocks. Monthly engagements are designed to flex with your needs and even out over the course of a month.
On limited basis, I also offer advice-oriented 1-1 support:
  • Product Sessions: Coaching for leaders and senior ICs. Hourly-based.
  • Advisor-Only: A periodic thought partner. Often equity-based.
Testimonials
Our team built a product we thought was brilliant—until we demoed it to Evan. He asked one simple question: "Where does this fit?"
That question hit me like a brick. Who would buy this? Why? How did it fit into our broader strategy? Over the next few days, Evan walked me through the gaps with clarity and empathy, helping me see exactly what we had missed. This was a masterclass in product development. Evan didn’t just push his perspective — he made me believe it.
He has an uncanny ability to understand people, pinpoint what they’re missing, and guide them toward clarity. If you're a technical founder wondering: We've built things people say they like, so why isn’t the business moving? Let Evan help you figure it out.
- Emil Ivov, Founder
Evan has a remarkable ability to distill complexity into clarity, consistently zeroing in on what truly matters…He balances strategic vision with practical execution, setting our product direction through customer-centric thinking and pragmatic decision-making. His calm demeanor and deescalating approach were invaluable in difficult situations.
- Salvatore Sodano, Engineering Leader
Evan is that rare product management unicorn at the crossroads of engineering, product, and marketing, blending all three to turn complexity into clarity and vision into reality. His crisp communication style, exceptional drive, and insatiable curiosity make him an unstoppable force in delivering products that matter.
- Jake Brereton, Founder
Why Fractional Hiring is Strategic
On-demand, pay-as-you-go senior product leadership at a fraction of a full-time hire's cost. Start immediately, eliminate hiring risk, and scale as your needs change.
"Fractional work is part-time work, typically paid on a monthly retainer, performed by experts in their field. A fractional job looks very similar to a full-time job, except the work is done on fewer hours per week for less pay."
25% — and growing — U.S. companies are embracing fractional hiring due to the access to expertise and flexibility.
Cost Efficient
Save 40% compared to a full-time hire, according to Forbes. No need to worry about benefits, bonuses, or healthcare costs.
Reduced Risk
Full-time hiring mistakes can be a six-figure mistake, plus the time invested in recruiting, hiring, and onboarding.
Flexible
77% of companies are prioritizing workforce flexibility. Fractional hiring adapts with projects, market conditions, and internal changes.
1
For Founders
Unlock seasoned product leadership that translates problems into priorities and shapes narratives that sell.
2
For VC / PE Firms
Set portfolio companies up for success with strategic product guidance to improve investment outcomes.
3
For CTOs
Maximize engineering impact with a strategic product partner who speaks technical and business at an executive level.
FAQs
How do we get started?
Quickly. 1-2 conversations to outline the need, present a proposal, and go.
  1. Discovery Call — We'll have 1-2 focused conversations to understand your product challenges, team structure, and where you need the most immediate impact.
  1. Custom Proposal & Contract — You'll receive a tailored proposal outlining the specific product leadership services, engagement frequency, and pricing proposal. Once we're aligned, a Consulting Agreement will outline the details for the partnership, including a start date.
  1. Go! Typically starting within 1-2 weeks.
  1. Ongoing Check Ins — You'll receive a short summary each week, and we'll have periodic reviews to measure impact, adjust priorities as needed, and ensure you're receiving maximum value from our partnership.
How involved are you in the day-to-day work?
Every engagement is tailored and I act as an embedded strategic partner. This can involve weekly check-ins, async collaboration, and hands-on work in areas like roadmap strategy, pricing, and hiring. For light engagements (less than 1 day per week) it's more challenging to be truly in the weeds tactically.
What do you typically deliver?
Depending on your needs, I help with things like prioritization, new product builds, product strategy resets, team or founder coaching, UX and product sparring, and refining product narratives with GTM teams.
I've created product management and UX job families and career development frameworks, market analysis to drive new product development decisions, user research scripts and synthesis to raise conviction, company OKRs and goals to create alignment, and more. Deliverables vary by engagement, but often include:
  • A product strategy doc or strategic brief
  • Customer insights mapped to product direction
  • Executive-ready product narratives
  • Roadmap drafts and prioritization frameworks
  • Facilitation of rituals that reinforce strategy (planning, OKRs, reviews)
  • Product vision and roadmap crafting
  • Market positioning and competitive analysis
  • Team hiring and org design
  • Product metrics frameworks
  • MVP scoping and validation
  • GTM collaboration and refinement
  • User research scripts, interviews, synthesis
  • Strategic sparring sessions
  • UX and prototype reviews
What would a typical week look like?
A 1 day-per-week fractional engagement might look like a full Monday every week, or it could be spreading that "day" across the week. This is not an hourly relationship — you get an embedded partner, spread across a month, based on your team rhythms and needs: Joining leadership meetings, founder sparring, UX and product reviews, roadmap planning sessions, synthesizing research into recommendations, or async collaboration.
How long do engagements last?
The goal is partnership. For retainer-based work, minimally, at least 3 months. The agreement renews each month until terminated. Either party may terminate the agreement for any reason with written notice, as outlined in the contract.
How do you handle confidential information?
Our work together will be governed by a mutual NDA (if required), and I treat all client information with strict discretion. Any proprietary insights, strategy discussions, or product details shared with me remain private. Each engagement is handled uniquely, and I respect the confidentiality of every founder and team I work with.
Resources for Scaling
Practical frameworks to help startup teams turn strategy into momentum.
The Arbor Product Operating System is a growing set of tools built for founders, CTOs, and product leaders who want clarity, speed, and traction. Each guide is designed to be implemented quickly and adapted to your company’s unique stage and needs.

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The Product Strategy Field Manual

A practical guide from Arbor Product Solutions to help startup founders and CTOs develop effective product strategies that connect vision to action, tailored to their company's specific stage and needs.

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The 7 Rhythms of Great Startup Product Teams

Building momentum without bureaucracy requires intentional rhythms that keep product teams aligned, focused, and energized. This guide explores seven essential rhythms that help startups maintain velocity while avoiding bureaucratic overhead, enabling teams to ship meaningful products that customers love.

More coming soon…
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