Many product leaders start looking for talent only when they need to hire.
But here’s a better approach that pays off big time in the long run:

đź“ž Talk to product folks regularly in 1:1s —even when you’re not hiring.
This doesn’t have to be a massive time commitment. Just 1–2 casual calls over the weekend—mentoring, catching up, sharing notes.
Over a period of time:
✅ You’ll end up building genuine relationships.
✅ You’ll know each one’s specialities & strength areas. You will know who to reach out to for what.
✅ Candidates will already trust you, because they’ve learned from you and will be more willing to join you.
So when it is hard to hire (think of funding booms), you won’t be scrambling.
You’ll fill roles quicker and start building faster. That can provide an edge.
Bonus benefits?
1. Mentoring satisfies your need to give back and stay connected to the community.

2. You’ll learn a ton from mentees – new domains, approaches, and perspectives.
So keep the conversations flowing — it’s how great teams (and careers) are built.
