Jira, Linear, and Productboard all serve product managers, but they entered the market in very different ways and were built around different assumptions about what customers need.
Jira entered an existing market, making it a red ocean player. Project management and issue-tracking tools were already widely used, so Jira competed by offering a highly customizable product at a transparent price. Small teams could start using it without going through a lengthy approval process, which helped it spread organically within organizations. Underlying this strategy was the belief that product and engineering teams have unique workflows and would value a tool flexible enough to adapt to them.
Linear entered a resegmented market and remains largely a red ocean player. It solves many of the same problems as Jira, but instead of trying to serve every type of team, it focused on high-performing software organizations frustrated by slow and overly complex tools. By emphasizing speed, simplicity, and thoughtful design, Linear carved out a niche within a crowded market. Its core belief was that some product and engineering teams would prefer a streamlined, opinionated workflow over extensive customization.
Productboard created a new market, placing it in a blue ocean. Rather than focusing on execution and task tracking, it addresses the work that happens before development begins. It gives product managers a place to collect customer feedback, prioritize opportunities, and communicate product strategy. Productboard was built on the belief that discovery and roadmap planning are important enough to deserve their own dedicated tool rather than being managed through engineering-focused software.
These three companies show that there are multiple ways to build a successful product business. A company can compete directly in an existing market, resegment a crowded market by serving a particular group of customers better, or create a new market altogether. Each approach reflects a different belief about what customers value most.
