# Strategy Advisor

> |

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-strategy-advisor`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [qingxuantang](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/qingxuantang)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Agent Skills](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/agent-skills)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** MIT
- **Upstream author:** [qingxuantang](https://github.com/qingxuantang)
- **Source:** https://github.com/qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills/tree/master/skills/strategy-advisor

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-strategy-advisor
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Strategy Advisor Skill

Help users develop, refine, and execute product and business strategy.

## When This Skill Activates
- "Help me with product strategy"
- "How do I prioritize?"
- "I can't decide between A and B"
- "Is this a strategy or execution problem?"
- "What's our competitive moat?"
- "How do I write a strategy doc?"
- "We're not hitting our goals"

## Framework Selection Guide

| Situation | Use This Framework |
|-----------|-------------------|
| Building product strategy | Product Strategy Stack |
| Consumer product strategy | DHM Framework |
| Assessing competitive position | Seven Powers |
| Diagnosing why things aren't working | Execution vs Strategy |
| Balancing strategy vs execution | Execution Over Strategy |

---

## Framework 1: Product Strategy Stack

**Source**: Ravi Mehta - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: If a PM can't decide between option A and B, the root cause is almost always a gap in understanding strategy, not a gap in prioritization skill.

### The Five Layers (Top to Bottom)

**Layer 1: Company Mission**
- The change the company wants to bring to the world
- Qualitative and aspirational
- Example: Tinder: "Make single life more fun"

**Layer 2: Company Strategy**
- The logical plan to achieve the mission
- Includes: target market, value prop, business model
- Must be rigorous, not aspirational

**Layer 3: Product Strategy**
- Connective tissue between company strategy and product work
- Defines what the product will be
- **Must include wireframes** (not just words)

**Layer 4: Product Roadmap**
- Sequence of work to fulfill strategy
- Time-bound initiatives
- Flows FROM strategy

**Layer 5: Product Goals**
- Measurable outcomes
- Come AFTER roadmap (contrarian view)
- Measure strategy progress

### Key Insight: Wireframes Required
> "Strategy docs aren't complete without wireframes. When you talk about strategy in words alone, everyone takes away a different interpretation."

Example: Mobile apps have 4-5 nav items. What are they? Words alone → different interpretations.

### Debugging Process (Bottom-Up)
| If... | Check... |
|-------|----------|
| Goals not being met | Is roadmap aligned? |
| Roadmap isn't working | Is product strategy clear? |
| Product strategy unclear | Do we understand company strategy? |
| Company strategy unclear | Is mission well-defined? |

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Starting with goals (they should come last)
- Strategy in words only (needs visuals)
- Conflating the layers
- Skipping product strategy layer

---

## Framework 2: DHM Framework (Consumer Products)

**Source**: Gibson Biddle - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Great product strategy creates customer delight in hard-to-copy, margin-enhancing ways.

### The Three Tests

**D - Delight**
Does this meaningfully improve the customer experience?
- Not just "nice to have"
- Creates emotional response
- Drives word of mouth

**H - Hard to Copy**
Can competitors easily replicate this?
Hard-to-copy advantages:
- Brand
- Network effects
- Unique technology
- Economies of scale
- Switching costs

**M - Margin-Enhancing**
Does this improve unit economics over time?
- Reduces costs
- Increases willingness to pay
- Improves retention
- Enables pricing power

### Applying DHM

**Step 1: Generate Strategy Ideas**
List potential strategic moves

**Step 2: Score Each on D, H, M**
| Strategy | Delight | Hard to Copy | Margin |
|----------|---------|--------------|--------|
| Idea A | High | Low | Medium |
| Idea B | Medium | High | High |

**Step 3: Prioritize DHM Winners**
Best strategies score high on all three.
Watch out for:
- High D, Low H = Easily copied
- High H, Low D = Doesn't matter
- High M, Low D = Race to bottom

### Netflix Examples
- Personalization: High D (finds shows for you), High H (data + algorithms), High M (better retention)
- Original content: High D (exclusive shows), High H (can't copy), Medium M (expensive but drives subs)

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Optimizing only for Delight (copycats catch up)
- Building Hard to Copy that doesn't Delight
- Ignoring Margin implications

---

## Framework 3: Seven Powers (Competitive Moats)

**Source**: Hamilton Helmer - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Strategy is a route to continuing Power in significant markets.

### The Seven Powers

**1. Scale Economies**
Unit costs decline as volume increases.
- Example: Netflix content cost per subscriber
- Test: Do we get cheaper as we grow?

**2. Network Effects**
Product improves as more people use it.
- Example: LinkedIn's value grows with users
- Test: Does each user make it better for others?

**3. Counter-Positioning**
New business model incumbent can't adopt.
- Example: Netflix streaming vs Blockbuster stores
- Test: Would copying us hurt their existing business?

**4. Switching Costs**
Cost to switch to competitor is high.
- Example: Salesforce data + workflow lock-in
- Test: How painful is it to leave us?

**5. Branding**
Higher perceived value enabling price premium.
- Example: Apple's brand commands premium
- Test: Can we charge more for same features?

**6. Cornered Resource**
Exclusive access to valuable asset.
- Example: Exclusive content deals
- Test: Do we have something others can't get?

**7. Process Power**
Superior processes embedded in organization.
- Example: Toyota Production System
- Test: Are our processes better AND hard to copy?

### Power Assessment

**Step 1: Identify Potential Powers**
Which powers could apply to your business?

**Step 2: Assess Current Strength**
| Power | Have It? | Strength (1-5) |
|-------|----------|----------------|
| Scale Economies | Yes/No | |
| Network Effects | Yes/No | |
| Counter-Positioning | Yes/No | |
| Switching Costs | Yes/No | |
| Branding | Yes/No | |
| Cornered Resource | Yes/No | |
| Process Power | Yes/No | |

**Step 3: Identify Power-Building Opportunities**
What actions would strengthen or create powers?

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Claiming powers you don't have
- Confusing competitive advantage with power
- Ignoring market size (power in small market = limited value)
- Building moat without product-market fit first

---

## Framework 4: Execution vs Strategy Diagnosis

**Source**: Shreyas Doshi - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: Most problems blamed on strategy are actually execution problems, and vice versa.

### The Diagnostic Question
When something isn't working, ask:
"If we executed this perfectly, would it work?"

- **Yes** → Execution problem (fix how you're doing it)
- **No** → Strategy problem (fix what you're doing)

### Common Misdiagnosis

**Strategy blamed, Execution at fault:**
- "Our positioning is wrong" → Actually: messaging is confusing
- "Wrong market" → Actually: wrong go-to-market motion
- "Product doesn't fit" → Actually: onboarding is broken

**Execution blamed, Strategy at fault:**
- "Team isn't executing" → Actually: strategy is unclear
- "We need better PMs" → Actually: priorities are wrong
- "Engineering is slow" → Actually: building wrong things

### Diagnosis Process

**Step 1: Describe the Problem**
What specific outcome isn't being achieved?

**Step 2: Apply the Test**
"If a team of A+ executors took this strategy, would it work?"

**Step 3: Look for Evidence**
| Evidence Type | Points To |
|--------------|-----------|
| Competitors winning with similar strategy | Execution |
| No one winning in this space | Strategy |
| Team confused about priorities | Strategy |
| Team aligned but slow | Execution |
| Metrics improving slowly | Execution |
| Metrics not moving at all | Strategy |

**Step 4: Address Root Cause**
- Execution fix: Better processes, skills, resources
- Strategy fix: Revisit positioning, market, approach

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Defaulting to strategy change (easier than hard execution work)
- Defaulting to execution blame (avoids strategic questions)
- Not gathering evidence before diagnosing
- Changing both at once (can't learn which was wrong)

---

## Framework 5: Execution Over Strategy (80/20)

**Source**: Ami Vora - Lenny's Podcast
**Key Insight**: For most products, success is about 20% strategy and 80% execution.

### The Reality
- Most product advice focuses on strategy
- Execution is where products succeed or fail
- Great strategy with poor execution loses to good strategy with great execution

### "Good Enough" Strategy Test
Ask: "If we execute perfectly on this strategy, could we succeed?"
- Yes → Execute
- No → Refine strategy (but set a deadline)

### Ruthless Prioritization Principles
1. **One thing at a time** - Focus team energy
2. **Finish before starting** - Complete current work
3. **Sequence, don't parallel** - Fewer balls in air
4. **Kill zombies** - End projects going nowhere
5. **Protect the team** - Shield from distractions

### The Priority Stack
| Level | What Belongs |
|-------|--------------|
| P0 | Must do this quarter to succeed (2-3 things) |
| P1 | Important but can wait |
| P2 | Nice to have |
| P3 | Probably never |

**Key**: If everything is P0, nothing is.

### Ship-Learn Cycle
1. Ship smallest valuable increment
2. Measure impact immediately
3. Learn from results
4. Adjust execution (rarely strategy)
5. Ship next increment

### When to Actually Change Strategy
- Fundamental assumption proven wrong
- Market shifted dramatically
- Multiple execution attempts failed
- New information changes everything

### Pitfalls to Avoid
- Over-strategizing (waiting for perfect plan)
- Under-prioritizing (everything is P0)
- Mistaking motion for execution
- Abandoning strategy too early
- Cutting quality for speed

---

## How to Apply This Skill

1. **Identify the strategic question**
   - Building strategy → Product Strategy Stack + DHM
   - Assessing competition → Seven Powers
   - Something not working → Execution vs Strategy
   - Prioritization → Execution Over Strategy

2. **Walk through the selected framework** systematically

3. **Push for specifics** (strategy without specifics = useless)

4. **Recommend debugging** when appropriate

## Related Skills
- `/decision-maker` - For specific strategic decisions
- `/goal-setter` - For goal-setting tied to strategy
- `/growth-advisor` - For growth strategy specifically

## Full SOPs (Deep Dives)

### Product Strategy
- [Product Strategy Stack](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/product-strategy-stack-001.md)
- [DHM Framework](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/dhm-product-strategy-framework-001.md)
- [Seven Powers](../../../sops/strategy/seven-powers-assessment-001.md)
- [Execution vs Strategy](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/execution-vs-strategy-diagnosis-001.md)
- [Execution Over Strategy](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/execution-over-strategy-001.md)
- [Differentiation vs Table Stakes](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/differentiation-vs-table-stakes-001.md)
- [Ship to Learn](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ship-to-learn-rd-philosophy-001.md)
- [Swinging the Pendulum](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/swinging-the-pendulum-001.md)

### AI Strategy
- [AI Eval-Driven Development](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ai-eval-driven-product-development-001.md)
- [AI Platform Strategy](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ai-platform-product-strategy-001.md)
- [AI Product Strategy Assessment](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ai-product-strategy-assessment-001.md)
- [AI Product Differentiation](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ai-product-differentiation-strategy-001.md)
- [Consumer AI Metrics](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/consumer-ai-product-metrics-001.md)
- [Product Team Scaling AI Era](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/product-team-scaling-ai-era-001.md)
- [AI-First Product Transformation](../../../sops/product-management/strategy/ai-first-product-transformation-001.md)

### Startup Strategy
- [Startup Idea Validation](../../../sops/strategy/startup-idea-validation-001.md)
- [Founder-Market Fit](../../../sops/strategy/founder-market-fit-assessment-001.md)
- [Avoiding Tarpit Ideas](../../../sops/strategy/avoiding-tarpit-ideas-001.md)
- [Fall in Love with Problem](../../../sops/strategy/fall-in-love-with-problem-001.md)
- [PMF Iteration Journey](../../../sops/strategy/product-market-fit-iteration-journey-001.md)
- [Crisis Management](../../../sops/strategy/startup-crisis-management-persistence-001.md)

### Pivot & Positioning
- [Pivot Decision Framework](../../../sops/strategy/pivot-decision-framework-001.md)
- [Bottom-Up Enterprise](../../../sops/strategy/bottom-up-enterprise-adoption-001.md)
- [Utility Curve Investment](../../../sops/strategy/utility-curve-product-investment-001.md)
- [Customer Value First](../../../sops/strategy/customer-value-first-principles-001.md)

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [qingxuantang](https://github.com/qingxuantang)
- **Source:** [qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills](https://github.com/qingxuantang/Lennys-to-sop-and-skills)
- **License:** MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-qingxuantang-lennys-to-sop-and-skills-strategy-advisor
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/qingxuantang
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.