Four BB Framework

Allocate product resources across Brilliant Basics, Bread and Butter, Big Bets, and Breaking Bad

Anuj Rathi
The full-stack PM | Anuj Rathi (Swiggy, Jupiter Money, Flipkart)

Four BB Framework

"If I gave you a hundred focus points, how much will you put in each of these buckets?" - Anuj Rathi

What It Is

The Four BB Framework is a resource allocation model for product strategy that categorizes all product work into four buckets. Rather than letting individual PMs make tactical trade-offs between fundamentally different types of work, this framework elevates allocation decisions to leadership level where they belong.

The framework recognizes that startups constantly face competing demands: engineering wants to address tech debt, PMs want to ship feature improvements, leadership wants strategic bets, and sometimes the company needs to pivot entirely. Without explicit allocation, these priorities fight each other inefficiently.

How It Works

The Four Buckets

1. Brilliant Basics Tech debt, platform improvements, and infrastructure work. Called "brilliant" rather than "debt" because branding matters—this is foundational work the company depends on. If ignored, you'll see increased downtime, slower shipping, and system fragility.

2. Bread and Butter Regular product backlog work—feature enhancements, bug fixes, version twos, experiments. This is what PMs would naturally prioritize if left alone with no big strategic initiatives. Keeps current products healthy and improving.

3. Big Bets Cross-team strategic initiatives that require coordinated effort from multiple teams. These need formal Working Backwards/PR FAQ treatment because they can't succeed without everyone signing up. Examples: launching a membership program, entering a new market segment.

4. Breaking Bad Company transformation work—pivots, new business lines, fundamental identity shifts. This is existential work. Example: Swiggy moving from food delivery to grocery delivery, or from "food delivery company" to "convenience company."

How to Apply It

  1. Have the allocation conversation at leadership level

    • Product head + CEO + leadership should decide percentages
    • Not a PM-level tactical decision
    • Creates clarity about what trade-offs the company is explicitly making

  2. Present three allocation alternatives

    • Create divergent strategies: heavy Brilliant Basics vs. heavy Big Bets vs. balanced
    • Show what each allocation means for outcomes
    • Let leadership choose with full context of trade-offs

  3. Make trade-offs explicit

    • "If we invest heavily in Big Bets, expect more bugs and downtime"
    • "If we prioritize Brilliant Basics, competitors may catch up"
    • "Breaking Bad means other areas will suffer—is that acceptable?"

  4. Connect allocation to expectations

    • Heavy Bread and Butter → fewer bugs, happier current customers, no differentiation
    • Heavy Brilliant Basics → stable systems, but no new capabilities
    • Heavy Big Bets → potential breakthroughs, but more technical debt
    • Heavy Breaking Bad → transformation, but everything else suffers

  5. Use Big Bets bucket to drive PR FAQs

    • Initiatives in Big Bets need formal Working Backwards process
    • Forces cross-team coordination and commitment
    • Creates accountability for strategic initiatives

When to Use It

  • Annual/quarterly planning to set overall product allocation
  • When leadership debates "should we focus on tech debt or new features?"
  • When multiple competing strategic priorities paralyze decision-making
  • When you need to communicate trade-offs to the organization
  • When considering major pivots or new business lines

Example Allocations

Growth Mode (early-stage, land grab)

  • Brilliant Basics: 10%
  • Bread and Butter: 30%
  • Big Bets: 50%
  • Breaking Bad: 10%

Stability Mode (mature product, retention focus)

  • Brilliant Basics: 30%
  • Bread and Butter: 50%
  • Big Bets: 15%
  • Breaking Bad: 5%

Transformation Mode (pivot or major expansion)

  • Brilliant Basics: 10%
  • Bread and Butter: 20%
  • Big Bets: 20%
  • Breaking Bad: 50%

Source

  • Guest: Anuj Rathi
  • Episode: "The full-stack PM | Anuj Rathi (Swiggy, Jupiter Money, Flipkart)"
  • Key Discussion: (00:41:36) - The Four BB framework for product strategy
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

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