Tech debt, often perceived as an unavoidable hindrance, can actually signal success when managed well, as it reflects growth and learning within a product team. Instead of eliminating tech debt, the focus should be on managing it through a holistic understanding of customer needs, product priorities, and business goals, while leveraging the insights of Product and Engineering Managers as allies. Effective management involves setting clear expectations and goals, fostering trust through collaborative discussions, and incorporating feedback to ensure future projects are feasible. Plans should be adaptable, acknowledging that not every project can be completed as initially envisioned, and that technical investments should align with business objectives. Introducing small, manageable improvements, like addressing "papercut" issues, can provide significant value over time. These overlooked tickets, when consistently integrated into sprint planning, can reveal patterns of tech debt that need addressing and ultimately contribute to a more robust and adaptable product roadmap.