Founding PM Circle (June)

What is this?

Join us for a monthly roundtable designed for founding product managers, early PM hires, and PMs-turned-product-leaders navigating the startup landscape.

Why this matters

The journey of a founding PM is incredibly challenging. You’re not just shaping the roadmap but making crucial product decisions with limited data and resources, all while balancing founder dynamics without a clear guide. As agentic coding increases shipping velocity, the responsibilities of a PM are rapidly expanding, moving into realms like prototyping and even coding, in addition to user research and customer advocacy.

Founding PMs often find themselves isolated, while founders benefit from networks like YC and OnDeck. The Founding PM Circle aims to fill this gap by providing a vetted community and a platform for discussion focused on the unique challenges faced by product leaders in the early stages of development.

Who's leading the conversation

Our inaugural roundtable features two influential founding PMs who have successfully built products through acquisition:

• Jaron Parnala — Founding PM at Bison Trails, a blockchain infrastructure platform acquired by Coinbase for $457M. He played a pivotal role in launching the Coinbase Developer Platform and previously held roles at Pivotal Labs and Distributional.

What to expect

• Intimate roundtable format for meaningful peer exchanges, away from superficial networking.
• Honest conversations about establishing product direction in ambiguity, collaborating with technical founders, and adapting in rapid environments.
• Insights from diverse sectors, including crypto infrastructure and proptech, with lessons that resonate across industries.
• Coffee and breakfast provided! ☕🥐
• First access to a cutting-edge community of founding PMs facing similar challenges.

📅 Format: Peer-led roundtable discussion. Bring your questions and challenges for an engaging working session.

🕒 Breakfast at 9:30 AM, roundtable from 10–11:30 AM.

Hosted by:

Randy Brown — Founder of Scout, former CTO at Jopwell (YC S15, a16z-backed), and creator of communities like the Founding Engineer Circle. Randy connects early-stage talent through events, workshops, and private networks designed to empower founding team members.

📍 Location: 989 Market St, 3rd floor
🎟️ Tickets: Get your ticket here