The Four BBs Strategy Framework

Overview

A strategic allocation framework to categorize product work into four distinct buckets, ensuring balanced roadmap between maintenance, growth, and innovation.

Core principle: If I gave you 100 focus points, how much goes in each bucket?

The Four Buckets

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ RISK │ │ Low ◄─────────────────────────────► High │ │ ┌───────────────────────┬───────────────────────┐ │ │ │ BRILLIANT BASICS │ BIG BETS │ Differen- │ │ │ │ │ tiator │ │ │ Non-negotiable │ Large, risky │ │ │ │ tech debt, hygiene │ initiatives for │ │ │ │ "Brilliant" not │ significant growth │ │ │ │ just "debt" │ │ │ │ ├───────────────────────┼───────────────────────┤ │ │ │ BREAD AND BUTTER │ BREAKING BAD │ Transform- │ │ │ │ │ ational │ │ │ Core features, │ Existential pivots, │ │ │ │ incremental │ moonshots, │ │ │ │ optimizations │ redefine identity │ │ │ └───────────────────────┴───────────────────────┘ │ │ Incremental Foundational │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Example Allocation

Role Brilliant Basics Bread & Butter Big Bets Breaking Bad

Mature Product 20% 50% 25% 5%

Growth Stage 15% 40% 35% 10%

Pivot Mode 10% 20% 30% 40%

Common Mistakes

• Calling foundational work "tech debt" (demotivating)

• Getting stuck in Bread & Butter without investing in Big Bets

• No explicit allocation conversation with stakeholders

Source: Anuj Rathi (Jupiter Money, Swiggy, Flipkart) via Lenny's Podcast