“Innovation is not a one-time event; it’s a structured, repeatable process.” This belief drives Joseph Hanna, a seasoned CPO, entrepreneur, coach, and best-selling author, as he reshapes the way businesses approach product strategy and execution. With years of experience in high-growth environments, Hanna has developed the Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM)—a framework designed to systematize adaptability and continuous innovation. His insights emphasize that product management isn’t just a function but an organizational mindset, requiring structured methodologies and leadership principles to unlock true potential.
Hanna’s expertise extends to the rapidly evolving world of AI-driven product innovation. He urges organizations to see AI not as a technology upgrade but as a transformational shift that will redefine decision-making, strategy, and team collaboration. As he shares his vision for the future, Hanna provides a compelling argument for why structured adaptability will be the defining trait of companies that thrive in the age of disruption.
Joseph Hanna: Innovator & Leader
Hanna is a seasoned executive, product innovator, and strategist with extensive experience in B2B, B2C, SaaS, AI/ML, and technology-enabled services. He has played a pivotal role in scaling PE/VC-backed companies through product innovation, operational efficiencies, and technology M&A.
He has been at the forefront of AI/ML adoption across multiple industries, including fintech, HR-tech, supply chain, and procurement. Holding multiple patents in AI applications, he has led product growth initiatives in both Fortune 500 companies and startups. Known for his ability to parachute into complex business challenges, he specializes in guiding teams to solve product and strategy hurdles efficiently.
A best-selling author, Hanna wrote Pivoting as a Way of Life and developed the Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM), a transformative framework that redefines product strategy and innovation, helping businesses adapt and thrive in dynamic markets.
Shaping a Career in Strategy
Reflecting on his journey, Hanna attributes his success in product and strategy to a relentless curiosity and passion for innovation. Early in his career at Oracle and Fortune 500 firms, he gained exposure to enterprise applications and large-scale technology implementations, which laid the foundation for his structured approach to decision-making.
Transitioning to small and mid-sized technology firms, Hanna played key roles in market expansion, product innovation, and M&A-driven scaling. Collaborating with both visionary and misguided founders shaped his philosophy on high-velocity innovation and continuous transformation.
Over three decades, Hanna has worked on thousands of products, overseeing their development, go-to-market strategies, growth, funding, integrations, and even sunsetting. With five successful exits, multiple acquisitions, and hundreds of due diligence processes, he emphasizes that the most valuable lessons come from building a product startup from scratch.
Lessons from ENGAGE Talent
In 2015, Joseph Hanna founded ENGAGE Talent, an AI-driven Total Talent Intelligence™ platform that aggregated data from 30,000+ sources to provide predictive workforce insights. This experience reinforced his belief that sustained product-market fit is an illusion; success depends on a company’s ability to adapt faster than its competition.
The initial concept for ENGAGE evolved significantly before reaching commercial viability. Lessons from early missteps—false-positive validations, premature scaling, and market misalignment—shaped Hanna’s approach to rapid iteration and pivoting.
Like some species of sharks that must swim constantly to breathe, ENGAGE thrived on continuous adaptation. The team embraced a culture of experimentation, iteration, and change, ensuring the company remained ahead of shifting market dynamics. The firm’s ultimate acquisition by Carlyle/Workforce Logiq validated Hanna’s conviction that a business’s survival hinges not on static product-market fit, but on the ability and velocity to pivot seamlessly from idea to execution.
Scaling Leadership & Innovation
Post-ENGAGE, Joseph Hanna took on leadership roles as GM of a large data business, Chief Strategy Officer of a $2.5B enterprise, and Chief Product Officer overseeing 600+ professionals globally. These experiences honed his structured innovation methodology, transforming growth into a repeatable, scalable process.
Hanna developed the Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM), a structured approach to innovation, akin to Agile and SCRUM in software development. Through his firm, Pivoting Model Partners, he now helps PE/VC-backed companies institutionalize strategic pivoting, ensuring agility becomes a disciplined practice rather than a reactive measure.
His leadership philosophy centers on building scalable frameworks that align cross-functional teams, foster rapid yet strategic decision-making, and sustain long-term growth through structured adaptation.
High-Performance Product Teams
Joseph Hanna believes that product teams are often misunderstood and underutilized. He emphasizes that high-performance teams excel when they operate within a structured yet adaptable framework, enabling speed while maintaining strategic alignment. According to Hanna, product management is not merely a function but an organizational mindset. The most effective strategies emerge when diverse perspectives—technical, business, and customer-driven—converge.
Hanna outlines key leadership principles essential for product teams: Data-driven decision-making, where major choices rely on quantifiable insights rather than assumptions; Cross-functional accountability, ensuring teams recognize their direct impact on customer success; and a Culture of continuous adaptation, where change is viewed not as disruption but as a structured advantage. He asserts that fostering these principles equips organizations to drive sustained innovation and deliver exceptional results in a rapidly evolving market.
AI’s Role in Product Innovation
Hanna asserts that “AI is reshaping product management, innovation cycles, and decision-making processes. I encourage organizations to view product strategy and management as an “AI Candy Store,” the perfect gateway for AI-driven transformation.”
Hanna urges companies to act swiftly, as he identifies 2025 as the defining year for AI in product strategy. Organizations delaying AI adoption risk falling behind the competition. AI provides teams with enhanced market intelligence, optimized internal operations, and sharper strategic insights. Through his Pivoting Life Operating Model (PLOM), Hanna guides companies in embedding AI into their product strategies. He emphasizes that structured adaptability through AI will become the driving force behind continuous innovation. “Organizations that integrate AI early will gain a significant competitive edge, ensuring sustained market relevance in an increasingly AI-driven business landscape.”
Integrating AI in Organizations
Hanna warns that “Many organizations mistakenly treat AI as a simple technology implementation rather than a strategic transformation. The future is not just about using AI but managing AI-integrated teams, where human professionals and AI agents work collaboratively.”
Hanna likens this shift to the early days of digital transformation, cautioning that companies slow to adapt risk experiencing a “Kodak Moment”—falling behind due to resistance to change. He advises leaders to start by strategically applying AI in product management, fostering an organizational culture that embraces AI-human collaboration. He advocates for a structured “Bring Your Own AI” approach, where team members experiment with AI tools to drive innovation. Lastly, Hanna stresses urgency: companies must act immediately, as those who delay are already at a disadvantage in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Future of Product Management
Joseph Hanna predicts that traditional product management roles, as they exist today, will become obsolete within five years. “True innovation is not about measuring past success but about measuring adaptability.” For instance, he critiques Net Promoter Score (NPS), stating that while a strong NPS is valuable, it only reflects past achievements rather than predicting future success.
Through his PLOM framework, Hanna aims to make adaptability systematic, scalable, and sustainable. He envisions PLOM becoming the standard framework for continuous innovation, much like Agile transformed software development. He believes that organizations embracing structured adaptability will lead their industries, ensuring not just survival but dominance in an era of constant change. “My goal is to future-proof organizations by instilling an innovation-first mindset that allows them to navigate uncertainty with confidence.”
Legacy in Product Innovation
Hanna aspires to ignite a movement that redefines conventional norms in product strategy and innovation. His vision extends beyond individual success; he seeks to establish PLOM as a foundational system for organizations worldwide.
Hanna’s core belief is that companies should leverage uncertainty as a competitive advantage rather than a challenge. He envisions a future where organizations embrace continuous pivoting as a strategic advantage, allowing them to innovate and scale at an accelerated pace. By championing structured adaptability, he hopes to leave a lasting impact on the industry, empowering businesses to thrive in an era of rapid technological advancements and market shifts. Through his work, he aims to ensure that innovation remains an ongoing, structured process rather than a one-time event.
