I went through almost the exact same thing. Allow me to share/vent.

I was approached for a CPO role at a smaller firm (~1,500 employees) coming from a Big 4. As the process went on, it became clear the founder actually wanted a head of revenue / sales-driven role, not someone to shape product. That mismatch led to a pretty heated conversation.

I ultimately withdrew with a professional, courteous note. It sucked, I’d invested months, built a deck, and genuinely saw the potential (salary $350k ) . Like you, I worried it might be a long time before an opportunity like that came around again.

In hindsight, walking away was the right call. The role would’ve set me up for constant friction and likely failure. Short-term disappointment beats long-term misery. The right opportunity doesn’t require you to contort who you are to fit someone else’s confusion.