The ideal founder archetype starts with deep technical expertise and product sense. They then develop exceptional business and commercial acumen over time, a rarer and more powerful combination than a non-technical founder learning the product.

Contrary to the common ambition of top executives, Snowflake's sales and marketing leaders found fulfillment by mastering their specific domains. They had no desire to become CEO, allowing them to shed their egos and focus purely on the craft of their functions, a rare and refreshing mindset in Silicon Valley.

Consumer tech often succeeds on product alone. Enterprise tech, however, requires a complex business motion involving sales and partnerships. This is where professional executives often outperform founders who may love building products but dislike the business development required for success.

The journey from individual contributor to VP of Product at Descript wasn't about formal promotions. Instead, it was a gradual process of adding so much value in product discussions that she was invited into progressively more strategic meetings. When you're consistently indispensable in "the room," you eventually belong there permanently.

A zigzag career path across diverse but adjacent roles (e.g., sales, operations, project management) provides a broader, more holistic business awareness. This cross-functional experience is more valuable for senior strategic roles than a narrow, linear progression up a single ladder.

The best early hires for a high-potential startup are often experienced professionals willing to check their ego and take a seemingly junior role. This demonstrates immense belief in the company's trajectory and their own ability to grow within it. These candidates prioritize the opportunity over the immediate title.

A linear career path is not required for success. Businesses ultimately value high performers who demonstrate an ownership mentality and consistently drive impact. Focusing on helping the business win creates opportunities to move across roles and industries, making your journey more valuable.

The pivot from a pure technology role (like CTO) to product leadership is driven by a passion shift. It's moving from being obsessed with technical optimization (e.g., reducing server costs) to being obsessed with customer problems. The reward becomes seeing a customer's delight in a solved problem, which fuels a desire to focus entirely on that part of the business.

Successful people with unconventional paths ('dark horses') avoid rigid five or ten-year plans. Like early-stage founders, they focus on making the best immediate choice that aligns with their fulfillment, maintaining the agility to pivot. This iterative approach consistently outperforms fixed, long-term roadmaps.