I help early-stage founders who don't have a CPO yet to get product strategy, roadmap, and team structure in place fast. I work with 1-2 companies at a time, embedded part-time, focused on the problems that stall early growth: no product motion, GTM misalignment, or an unclear roadmap.
Product leader with stops at Microsoft, Slack, OpenTable, and Toast, and 8+ years focused on Vertical B2B SaaS/AI. Now running Napkin Labs, a solo fractional practice. OpenTable and Toast gave me a close read on how brick-and-mortar operators think, what software they'll actually use, and what creates real switching costs. My focus is restaurants, hospitality, retail, salons, auto shops, and adjacent markets.
Recent work: shipped new product vision and roadmap for a back-office trade startup that unlocked traction; identified 3 winning startups as part of a GenAI supply-chain investment thesis.
Depending on what you need, I can run:
An assessment of where your product strategy is broken
A workshop to validate your next move before you build it
A research sprint to answer a specific question fast
A fractional engagement for ongoing embedded leadership
San Francisco based, remote or Bay Area. Flexible on scope and structure.
I help early-stage founders who don't have a CPO yet to get product strategy, roadmap, and team structure in place fast. I work with 1-2 companies at a time, embedded part-time, focused on the problems that stall early growth: no product motion, GTM misalignment, or an unclear roadmap.
Product leader with stops at Microsoft, Slack, OpenTable, and Toast, and 8+ years focused on Vertical B2B SaaS/AI. Now running Napkin Labs, a solo fractional practice. OpenTable and Toast gave me a close read on how brick-and-mortar operators think, what software they'll actually use, and what creates real switching costs. My focus is restaurants, hospitality, retail, salons, auto shops, and adjacent markets.
Recent work: shipped new product vision and roadmap for a back-office trade startup that unlocked traction; identified 3 winning startups as part of a GenAI supply-chain investment thesis.
Depending on what you need, I can run:
An assessment of where your product strategy is broken A workshop to validate your next move before you build it A research sprint to answer a specific question fast A fractional engagement for ongoing embedded leadership
San Francisco based, remote or Bay Area. Flexible on scope and structure.
chris at napkinlabs dot io | https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrislqta/