Summary
Erik Skurka is a product leader and operator with 10+ years turning founder-led product teams into repeatable functions and scaling SaaS from single-digit to multi-decade millions in ARR. As CPO at OptimaFI he shipped a category-defining 0→1 product and built a cross-functional product and AI workflow team that cut cycle time by over 80%, favoring native MCP architecture to preserve customer optionality under regulatory constraints. He previously co-led ReviewTrackers from $3M to $25M ARR and through a nine-figure exit, architecting in-house NLP long before LLMs were mainstream and building product orgs that stick (90% voluntary retention). Erik blends CPA-trained P&L rigor with hands-on product craft—equally fluent in pricing, packaging, ICP focus, and sequencing bets to unblock mechanical growth. He’s sought after by CEOs and boards when product needs a strategic reset plus tactical rebuild, especially in PE-owned or recently acquired businesses. Based in Chicago, he looks for CPO/COO/CEO roles at $10–150M ARR where product symptoms may mask deeper operational bottlenecks.
10 years of coding experience
17 years of employment as a software developer
Masters, Taxation, Masters, Taxation at University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business
Bachelor's Degree, Business Administration and Management, General, Bachelor's Degree, Business Administration and Management, General at University of Colorado Boulder