Why did Polyvore remove Pasha Sadri as CEO and replace him with head of product, Jess Lee?

Pasha Sadri was not exactly "removed" as CEO of Polyvore, but rather, the role transitioned to Jess Lee as part of a strategic shift within the company. In 2012, Sadri and Lee decided that the CEO role was evolving from focusing primarily on building the product to building the company itself, which included tasks like hiring and team management4. This transition was natural, as Lee had already been handling many responsibilities outside of product development, such as sales and community management5.

Initially, Sukhinder Singh Cassidy briefly took over as CEO in February 2010, but she stepped down seven months later due to disagreements with Sadri over scaling and strategic direction. Sadri then resumed his role as CEO until Lee took over in 201223. Lee's promotion to CEO was supported by the board, recognizing her contributions to the company's growth and her ability to lead beyond product development5.

The transition was part of a broader strategy to leverage Lee's strengths in areas beyond product development, such as community engagement and business growth, while Sadri moved into the role of Chief Technical Officer (CTO), focusing on the technical aspects of the platform34.