The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch 20Product: Why Most CPOs are Bad | Why You Do Not Need PMs in a World of AI | Why the Design Stage is Dead and How to Use Vibe Coding to Replace It | The Three Roles All Founders End Up Firing on Repeat with Jason James @ Tezi
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Aug 29, 2025 Jason James, Co-Founder of Tezi and former VP of Product at Instacart, shares his sharp insights on product development in the age of AI. He reveals why quick optimizations won't create billion-dollar products and argues that MVPs are no longer effective. James discusses whether startups still need product managers and critiques the role of CPOs, implying many are lacking. He emphasizes the myth of startup culture and highlights the dynamics of hiring, including the resumes trap that can mislead managers. A must-listen for founders!
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New Capabilities Move The Needle
- At very large scale, A/B tests and small optimizations matter less than launching new capabilities that unlock markets.
- Jason emphasizes building features that can create billion-dollar revenue lines, like Snap EBT for Instacart.
Ship A‑Quality, Not Scrappy MVPs
- When you have clarity on customer needs, build A-quality features instead of scrappy MVPs.
- Avoid shipping low-quality betas that will slow future launches and consume time.
AI Shrinks Design-To-Prototype Cycle
- AI tooling (magic patterns, vibe coding) compresses the design-to-prototype cycle and speeds iteration.
- Teams can reach A-quality faster but still require standards for production readiness.