Frank Takeaways

Frank Takeaways

Reflections

Still a Lot of Bars

What the full stack builder trend gets right — and what it misses

Jan 28, 2026
∙ Paid

Welcome to Frank Takeaways. I'm Frank, writing the notes worth keeping from decades at companies like Slack, Etsy, and Google. I run a coaching practice dedicated to guiding leaders through the tricky stuff of building products and high-performing teams.

Join my referral program and earn 1:1 coaching sessions by sharing Frank Takeaways with others - start with just three referrals.
—

A coaching client asked me a question last week:

“What are your thoughts on the emerging ‘full stack builder’ PM model — what do you think about it and what does it mean for product leadership?”

I started typing a response and then stopped. Deleted it. Started again. The question sounds simple but it’s actually three questions tangled together: Is this real? Is it new? And what should leaders do about it?

I’ve been turning it over for days. Here’s where I’ve landed.

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Frank Takeaways to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 Working Titles · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture