I've found tech-debt to be a false dichotomy with product work. They're all decisions made in the context of the moment with accompanying weakness in understanding and time. Convincing business partners of the value in addressing tech-debt - let alone defining it - is rarely worth the herculean effort vs business outcomes. It always comes down to faith: trust us to get it right... this time; whatever "right" or even better is - if that's a more preferable word. It's no more possible for Product to get it right the first time than it is engineering. Embrace the journey and make the best decisions one can - though engineering leadership should be alert for obvious counter-productive calls - and focus on iteration speed, as that's the only quantifiable, accountable process that I've found to becoming more right.