Supra Insider

Switching into product can feel like a one-way door, especially if you’re already successful in another function. But for Michael, the path from product marketing to product management wasn’t a leap of faith, it was a series of low-risk experiments, relationship-driven conversations, and intentional “spikes” he could bring to the PM role.In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc Baselga and Ben Erez sit down with Michael Chen (former PMM at LinkedIn, Slack, and Asana; now a PM at DoorDash) to break down exactly how he made the transition from marketing into product, and what made it work. They unpack the fears people don’t say out loud (title cuts, failing publicly, losing social capital), why internal moves are often more about timing + business need than a single ask, and how to frame the whole process as an exploration rather than a high-stakes bet.Michael also shares how his go-to-market and storytelling background has become a real product advantage, especially in areas like pricing & packaging, subscription tiers, and helping customers “see and believe” the value before they ever click buy. If you’re a PMM, marketer, or operator who wants to become a builder, or a PM who wants stronger GTM instincts - this episode is a practical blueprint.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (1:30) Why PMM and PM are more cyclical than people think: understand needs → build → educate → drive success* (3:40) The deeper origin story including consulting + “full brain thinking” + MBA + design/innovation foundation* (9:16) The real fear: title/trajectory resets are real—acknowledging the risk without over-dramatizing it* (11:34) Why internal transitions are uniquely de-risked by relationships, subject-matter context, and built-in support systems* (16:10) The “spikes” framework: you need at least one clear advantage you can carry into PM (domain, customer, research, etc.)* (22:05) “What if I fail publicly?” Why the stakes felt manageable (supportive manager, exploration mindset)* (29:15) Treat big career moves as experiments—keep doing it if it works, stop if it doesn’t* (37:25) How often to “check in” on opportunities* (41:45) The advantage internal candidates have: tighter line to roadmap + ability to paint vision + make it a no-brainer hire* (50:07) Switching companies and rebuilding credibility, learning culture, and giving yourself grace in a new environment* (58:35) Why now is the best time to switch: AI + prototyping tools let customer-adjacent people show what they mean* (1:03:05) Gratitude corner: Evan (LinkedIn), Ceci (Slack), Lily (Asana) and the “bet on how I think” theme* And more!Links:* Michael Chen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hashtagmichaelchen/* Evan Ling: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanling/* Cecilia Stallsmith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cecistallsmith/* Lili Rachowin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lilirachowin/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

What is the role of education when AI can explain, generate, and tutor instantly, and what does that mean for how we learn, teach, and evaluate understanding?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc Baselga and Ben Erez sit down with Stephen Cognetta to explore how education is evolving in the age of AI, and why many existing learning models are fundamentally misaligned with how people actually develop understanding. The conversation challenges long-held assumptions about credentials, classrooms, and expertise, and digs into what truly matters when information becomes abundant and cheap.Stephen shares perspectives on how learning really happens, why traditional institutions struggle to adapt, and how AI changes the value of memorization versus intuition, judgment, and synthesis. They discuss the tension between structured education and self-directed learning, how product thinking applies to education systems, and why curiosity and experimentation matter more than polished answers.This episode is especially relevant for product leaders, builders, and operators who care about learning, not just as students, but as designers of systems that help people grow. It offers a thoughtful look at how AI reshapes education, careers, and what it means to be “qualified” in the future.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (2:28) Universities today are shifting from education to job-placement pipelines* (7:27) Why universities buy tools like Exponent instead of changing curricula* (12:25) Should you get a degree to become a PM? Ship real things + get real feedback* (16:55) MBA vs PM bootcamps—and how AI reshapes what bootcamps can actually offer* (20:23) Stephen’s teaching philosophy: professors as performers and simulation designers* (25:30) Ben’s finance program example: in placement-driven rigor and rubric-based prep* (36:10) Self-discovery, contribution, and why time off can accelerate finding your “zone of genius”* (44:21) Can Exponent help people earlier than interviews—before they know what to pursue?* (50:14) Interview is a mental game of anxiety, confidence, and social reinforcement* (59:12) Highest-leverage interview prep: go to the source and maximize simulation fidelity* (1:10:04) The gold-standard mock with calibrated interviewer + scoring breakdown* (1:15:31) Gratitude corner: Stephen thanks his co-founder Jacob* And more!Links:* Stephen Cognetta’s Website: https://www.stephencognetta.com/* Exponent: https://www.tryexponent.com/* Register a guest lecturer at Open Lecture: https://www.openlecture.com/* Jacob Simon (Co-founder of Exponent): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobsimon1* Stephen Cognetta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephencognetta/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/Resources Mentioned:* Enders Game - book mentioned by StephenIf you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here).* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

What actually makes a startup defensible anymore, especially when anyone can build a product overnight with AI?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc Baselga and Ben Erez sit down with Itamar Novick, founder of Recursive Ventures and longtime operator-turned-investor, to unpack how moats are changing in the AI era and what founders (and senior product leaders) need to internalize if they want to build enduring companies.Itamar draws from over 25 years across product leadership, company-building, and early-stage investing to explain why defensibility matters earlier than most founders think, how traditional moats (marketplaces, SaaS velocity, network effects) still apply, and why AI radically compresses time-to-competition. He breaks down how Recursive Ventures evaluates teams, TAM, and moats at the pre-seed stage, why velocity has become a core signal, and how the venture model itself is being reshaped by smaller teams, faster execution, and lower capital requirements.The conversation also goes deep on founder decision-making: how to choose early investors, why community itself can be a moat, what good vs bad VCs look like when companies fail, and why product leaders should seriously consider jumping into AI-native environments, even if it means a short-term step down.If you’re a product leader thinking about founding a company, advising startups, or staying relevant in the next decade, this episode offers a clear, opinionated framework for navigating what’s changed and what still matters.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (05:34) Itamar’s path from VC to operator and back, and why credibility matters in early-stage investing* (09:45) Why Itamar looks for moats even at pre-seed* (12:50) Classic pre-AI moats: marketplaces, SaaS velocity, and network effects* (19:21) How Recursive Ventures evaluates Team, TAM, and Moat at inception* (21:44) Vibe coding and the collapse of traditional barriers to entry* (26:38) How AI breaks traditional venture math, and why seed investing benefits* (30:07) How founders should choose their first investors* (34:49) Three types of VCs: helpers, neutral capital, and destructive investors* (44:13) How much to raise at pre-seed and what that capital is actually for* (51:10) Hiring for leverage: why AI-native mindset matters more than tenure* (54:27) Why working at AI-native companies compounds long-term career value* (57:23) Sales, distribution, and personal brand as differentiators* (1:00:25) How PMs can build sales and founder muscles intentionally* And more!Links:* Startup Anti-patterns by Itamar Novick: https://www.itamarnovick.com/category/anti-patterns/* Itamar Novick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itamarnovick/* Itamar’s X: https://x.com/Itamar_Novick* Recursive Ventures: https://www.recursiveventures.com/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Most candidates treat recruiter calls like a box-checking step. But the candidates who consistently land offers treat recruiters like strategic partners - and use them to get real leverage throughout the process.In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc Baselga and Ben Erez sit down with our repeat guest, Anneli Scopazzi (Boulevard Talent; former recruiting leader across Palantir, Figma, and Notion) to break down what recruiters are actually incentivized by, what they’re looking for in the recruiter screen, and how candidates can use recruiters to prepare more intelligently and avoid preventable missteps.They cover the difference between internal recruiters and agency recruiters, what gets candidates filtered out early, how to ask for “prep” without sounding insecure, what to do when a company refuses to share details, and how to handle compensation conversations without accidentally anchoring yourself into a worse outcome. They also discuss when to save sensitive questions for the offer stage, and how recruiters influence the process behind the scenes (feedback, debriefs, and closing).If you’re interviewing in today’s competitive market, especially for product roles, this episode gives you a tactical playbook for turning recruiters into an advantage instead of an afterthought. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:25) Why candidates hesitate- fear of looking bad, mistrust, and cultural differences around recruiters* (06:20) Internal recruiters vs agency recruiters and how incentives differ* (09:04) Reading the room and adapting to the person, “mirror” without being inauthentic* (11:15) The biggest recruiter-screen failure mode for PMs * (14:11) What makes a recruiter champion you? Homework, kindness, calibrated confidence, and being human* (19:16) The most important high-leverage questions to ask recruiters* (22:04) Asking about compensation in recruiter screens and when to share your number* (26:54) “Do you have concerns about me?” question: value + risk, and safer alternative framing* (33:01) The advantage of pre-onsite “prep call” call with the recruiter* (44:41) Offer stage strategy, save sensitive questions for when you have leverage; recruiter’s job is to close* Live Audience Q&A:* (49:39) Why recruiters view your LinkedIn but don’t reach out + how targeting works* (51:05) What decides between final candidates: rapport/working relationship + reducing bias where possible* (53:01) Recruiter “How did it go?” email: why it’s a best practice and a chance to clarify/repair an answer* (54:30) Risk of hiring manager + IC in parallel: why it happens and when it signals “house on fire”* (57:38) Market shift: managers moving back to IC roles + how to explain that story credibly* And more!Links:* Our previous episode with Anneli: https://suprainsider.substack.com/p/82-inside-the-new-recruiting-reality* Anneli Scopazzi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliscopazzi/* Boulevard recruiting: https://www.boulevardrecruiting.com/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here).* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

What does it take to build products that feel thoughtful, emotionally resonant, and unmistakably high-quality, especially inside a company that ships fast and experiments constantly?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Nickey Skarstad, Director of Product at Duolingo, to unpack how one of the world’s most beloved consumer apps maintains its bar for craft, clarity, and delight while operating at massive scale. Nickey shares how Duolingo operationalizes quality across teams, how they dogfood relentlessly, and why “unreasonable hospitality” applies just as much to software as it does to service.She also shares the internal rituals Duolingo uses - like their “hot trash” Friday forum for sharing early experiments, and how these lightweight mechanisms help PMs, designers, and engineers learn from each other. Nickey walks through Duolingo’s product review process, how senior leaders give feedback, and how the company ensures teams move quickly without shipping work that falls below their quality standards.Whether you’re a PM trying to strengthen your intuition, a design-driven leader aiming for higher quality bars, or a product builder exploring how AI should (and shouldn’t) fit into your workflow, this episode is full of concrete lessons you can use immediately.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:35) How Nickey keeps up with AI: newsletters, podcasts, internal Slack channels, and intentional learning time* (07:15) Internal rituals for sharing AI learnings: Slack posts, demos, and Duolingo’s “hot trash” culture* (11:12) Duolingo’s product review process as a mechanism for scaling quality and judgment* (14:12) How Duolingo balances speed (“clock speed”) with rigorous product reviews* (23:31) What makes feedback actually useful—and when it should block shipping* (29:05) The importance of heavy dogfooding for generative AI experiences* (32:22) Turning product taste into evaluators for non-deterministic systems* (37:50) Why slapping “AI” into marketing often hurts more than it helps* (41:52) How to intentionally develop better product taste* (51:28) Why AI has re-energized builders and product teams* (55:01) Why hobbies, fiction, and being “in the world” matter for product taste* (58:40) Nickey’s closing advice: investing in taste is never wasted time* And more!Links:* Nickey’s Newsletter: https://nickey.substack.com/* Nickey Skarstad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickeyskarstad/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/Resources Mentioned:* Duolingo’s Product Review Process: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-product-review-works-sneak-peek-key-decision-making-process-lnpoe/* Peter Yang Podcast: https://creatoreconomy.so/* Lenny’s Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/* Book Suggestions:* The Thursday Murder Club - recommended by Nickey* Hyperion - recommended by Ben If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat actually changes inside a product and engineering org when a company commits to becoming AI-native—not as a side project, but as the new operating system?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Gaurav Hardikar, VP of Product at HomeLight, to unpack the company’s ambitious transformation: an executive team hackathon, ten AI initiatives across tech debt and product debt, and a completely new way of scoping, shipping, and collaborating across product, engineering, and design.Gaurav walks through how HomeLight reshaped their workflows to move dramatically faster, built an AI-powered scoping assistant that consolidates inputs across functions, and created a shared “source of truth” that removes one of the biggest product bottlenecks—misalignment.He also introduces a brand-new role inside the org: the AI Product Builder—what it is, why PMs can’t do all of it, and the skills that separate great builders from average ones as AI-native development becomes standard.Whether you’re a product leader trying to accelerate your roadmap, an engineer rethinking how AI changes execution, or a PM who wants to understand what skills will still matter in an AI-native world, this episode gives a practical, inside-the-org look at what real transformation requires.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:52) How HomeLight’s AI efforts started: chat, voice, and agent coaching tools* (07:32) The moment leadership realized the org needed to rethink how it works* (12:31) Three process initiatives: the design system, scoped workflows, and automated analytics* (17:53) The #1 pain point in traditional scoping: misalignment* (26:23) Where VPs should insert themselves in the workflow (and where they shouldn’t)* (36:10) Why specs die but scope lives on—defining what’s in, out, and why* (38:10) The dangers of overbuilding before you prototype* (41:19) Introducing the new AI Product Builder role at HomeLight and the traits that make someone great at it* (49:48) How zero-to-one projects graduate—or get collapsed into something simpler* (53:27) The “last mile” problem: QA, edge cases, and Slack interface constraints* (58:37) Leadership’s role in creating psychological safety for experimentation* (1:06:32) Final lessons and what HomeLight wants to learn from other AI-native orgs* And more!Links:* Gaurav Hardikar Newsletter: https://www.insidergrowthhq.com/* Gaurav Hardikar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ghardikar/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here).* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’ve been hearing phrases like “taste is the only thing that will matter for PMs in the AI era” but aren’t sure what that actually means—or more importantly, how to build it—this episode is for you.In this conversation, Marc and Ben sit down with Sachin Rekhi, founder, former LinkedIn product leader, and creator of LinkedIn Sales Navigator, to unpack the real mechanics of taste: where it comes from, how to sharpen it, and why it’s already the defining skill of AI-native product teams.Sachin shares the frameworks he teaches inside companies and in his Reforge course—from Rick Rubin’s “sensitivity & canon” model, to daily design-critique habits, to the patterns he saw across design-driven, metrics-driven, strategy-driven, and sales-driven org cultures.He also tells the untold story of how Sales Navigator went from a tiny skunkworks project to one of LinkedIn’s biggest product lines—why social capital mattered, how he managed leadership skepticism, and how he used prototypes, real customer quotes, and narrative-building to secure executive conviction.Whether you’re trying to level up your product intuition, navigate organizational taste cultures, or use AI without slipping into “AI slop,” you’ll walk away with practical models you can apply immediately to your product work, leadership communication, and team workflows.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:01) Sachin’s definition of taste: the ability to recognize high-quality work across design, strategy, and problem selection* (05:36) Why taste matters today (AI slop, generic landing pages, low-quality code, and B-level writing)* (12:47) How to pair domain insight with AI to produce differentiated work* (15:28) Rick Rubin’s framework for building taste: sensitivity and consuming the canon* (28:06) Rick Rubin’s second pillar: consuming the canon of great work (design awards, shareholder letters, essays)* (32:42) Why leadership taste sets the bar—Steve Jobs, Johnny Ive, Bezos, Pincus, and metrics-driven cultures* (40:14) Finding your “product culture fit”: strategy-driven, design-driven, metrics-driven, or sales-driven orgs* (44:32) How Sachin used social capital, prototypes, and customer quotes to earn “rope” for Sales Navigator at LinkedIn* (52:47) Everything is selling: convincing execs, customers, and teams* (59:50) Using AI to craft executive memos—Bezos style guides, Paul Graham metaphors, punch-up techniques* (1:08:36) How customer quotes beat TAM slides—and why new markets look small at first* (1:20:39) Final lessons: conviction, customer obsession, and taste as a lifelong practice* And more!Links:* Sachin Rekhi’s course on Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/courses/ai-productivity* Sachin Rekhi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinrekhi/* David Hahn who supported Sachin in getting Sales Navigator off the ground: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidwhahn/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and top-rated Maven course: Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (selected by Lenny as a top course in product 🔥). Get 25% off the course with promo code `suprainsider` (auto-applied here). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIn the first-ever live recording of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sat down with Jacob Bank, founder of Relay.app, to unpack one of the most urgent questions facing product leaders today: How do AI agents actually change the way we work? Instead of abstract predictions, Jacob shares the very real workflows, failures, and breakthroughs behind running a 10-person company that delegates work to more than 300 AI agents.Across the conversation, the three dig into what PMs must learn next: writing job descriptions for agents, architecting responsibilities, managing automated execution, and understanding how agents influence velocity, product quality, and cross-functional collaboration. Jacob also discusses why PMs are lagging behind engineering and ops in adopting agentic workflows, and what will happen to teams who don’t catch up.If you’re a PM, founder, or operator trying to understand how AI is reshaping product development, or you’ve struggled to translate “agent hype” into concrete, repeatable workflows, this episode gives you a realistic, practitioner-level framework for building with agents today, and preparing for what’s coming next.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:27) Jacob’s background and why PMs should care about AI agents* (04:37) Why this session focuses on “hiring AI agents like employees”* (07:38) The AI org chart explained — the Reddit marketing agent* (15:05) Managing agent performance — firing, reviewing, and iterating* (18:39) The hype cycle — why “AI agents are real” matters* (25:55) What tasks should not be agents (one-offs, planning, magic tasks)* (33:13) Building an AI agent live* (37:42) Where agent outputs should land — Slack, Gmail, Docs* (46:54) The six agents every PM should “hire” today* (50:16) Deterministic vs agentic automations — the reliability spectrum* (55:19) Making agents work in enterprise environments with locked-down systems* (1:03:16) Live demo: Natural Language Builder using Relay.app* Live Audience Q&A:* (1:07:46) QA best practices — how to trust agents before delegating* (1:09:21) Cost breakdown — why credits don’t matter if value compounds* (1:12:16) The most expensive agent Jacob runs (customer health scoring* (1:13:45) Why simple feedback loops fail — thumbs up/down isn’t enough* (1:15:20) Agent drift, hallucination, precision, and the role of clarity* And more!Links:* Relay.app: https://www.relay.app/* Six PM Agents (slides Jacob showed in the session): https://ggl.link/six-pm-agents* Jacob’s Maven Course: https://maven.com/jacob-bank/six-ai-agents-every-pm-needs/* Jacob Bank: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobbank/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and self-paced course, Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (25% off with code `supra insider` auto-applied here). Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’ve ever wondered whether you could teach a course, how to validate demand for your expertise, or how AI is reshaping learning and personal brand building, this episode is for you.In this conversation, Marc and Ben sit down with Claire Chen, leading Growth at Maven and the person who originally recruited Ben to teach on the platform. Together, they unpack the real mechanics behind becoming a successful instructor - how to choose a topic, validate demand, build credibility, and grow a sustainable “portfolio career” alongside a full-time job. Claire shares the signals she looks for when sourcing new instructors, the biggest misconceptions operators have about teaching, and why course-based learning is booming right now.Whether you’re thinking about launching your first lightning lesson, building a personal brand, diversifying your income, or simply want an inside look at how Maven finds and supports world-class instructors, you’ll walk away with actionable frameworks, candid insights, and plenty of clarity on what it really takes to teach in the AI era.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:24) What Maven looks for when identifying strong instructors across functions* (05:00) Understanding topic–market fit and spotting demand before platforms do* (13:13) The rise of portfolio careers, fractional work, and diversified income streams* (19:55) The two levers that matter most: topic positioning and basic marketing instincts* (25:31) Lightning lessons: why they’re the highest-performing awareness tool* (30:10) How Claire discovers emerging ideas and standout operators* (37:01) Using AI for writing while preserving voice, taste, and human judgment* (47:06) Why humans must stay in the loop for hooks, taste, and direction* (56:37) How to choose the right course topic using expertise and emerging demand* (01:05:10) How to validate demand with posts, early signals, and lightning lessons* And more!Links:* Maven: https://maven.com/* Claire’s Substack: Claire Is Working* Claire’s email:  claire@maven.com* Claire Chen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairechen56/* Ben’s Maven course: https://maven.com/ben-erez/pm-interview* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and self-paced course, Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (25% off with code `fast25` until EOD Nov 24th). Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’re a product leader trying to navigate the shift from single-product focus to a broader portfolio—or wondering how AI is reshaping execution, team design, and strategic planning—this episode is for you.In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Brian Balfour, CEO of Reforge, to explore how product orgs can expand into multi-product portfolios without losing focus, momentum, or clarity. Brian shares how his team shipped five new products in under a year, what most companies miss when trying to adopt AI, and how to avoid common traps like “Frankenstein workflows” and slow-to-die experiments.From deciding when to build vs. buy, to managing zero-to-one teams in parallel, to evaluating strategic threats in the AI era—this conversation is packed with practical frameworks and hard-earned lessons. You’ll hear Brian’s candid takes on M&A, cross-functional execution, PM bottlenecks, and the future of product development when language, code, and design start to collapse into one.Whether you’re expanding your roadmap, building AI-native products, or simply trying to execute faster with fewer resources, this one’s worth a listen.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:44) The gap between learning and executing—why Reforge moved into tools* (07:04) How small teams shipped four products in nine months* (11:26) Brian’s framework for the three biggest AI-era threats* (17:40) Build vs. buy decisions—and the case for “outsourced R&D”* (25:21) The three product-market fit expansion paths* (32:51) How Reforge thinks about startup acquisitions* (37:56) Detecting burnout and evaluating founder fit* (50:04) Betting on multiple products instead of a single moonshot* (57:51) AI Frankenstein workflows—and what’s coming next* (1:05:22) The blurry future of design, code, and language merging* (1:13:45) Why copying your product into new platforms doesn’t work* And more!Links:* Reforge: https://www.reforge.com/* Reforge Build (new prototyping product): https://www.reforge.com/build* Brian’s Website: https://brianbalfour.com/* Brian Balfour: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbalfour/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style Product Sense & Analytical Thinking interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews and self-paced course, Product Sense & Analytical Thinking Bootcamp for Meta-Style PM Interviews (25% off with code `fast25` until Nov 23rd). Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat happens when a creative side project starts to gain traction—but the founders have different ideas about how far to take it?In this unusually raw episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben invite their longtime friend and coach Josh Herzig-Marx to facilitate a live coaching session—on the podcast. Together, they explore the tension between friendship and business, how to manage an unequal split in effort, and whether to go “all in” on Insider Loops or preserve what’s already working.This episode is for anyone navigating high-stakes collaborations, co-founder relationships, or creative projects that start as fun, but might be worth so much more.Expect vulnerability, laughter, some hard truths, and surprisingly actionable advice on alignment, contribution, and staying friends while building together.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:55) The intent behind recording a live coaching session* (04:36) Marc & Ben’s backstory as friends and collaborators* (09:32) Launching the podcast and Insider Loops* (17:49) Debating monetization: values, brand integrity, and potential upside* (22:28) The podcast as a stabilizing force—personally and professionally* (30:01) The transitioning period in Ben’s life* (43:44) The shared challenge with this personal and professional relationship* (49:13) Unpacking fairness: hours spent vs impact made* (56:26) Trust, tradeoffs, and marginal utility when lives are different* (1:05:03) Should they try playing Insider Loops on “hard mode”?* (1:09:31) Wrapping up with clarity, superpowers, and gratitude* And more!Links:* Joshua Herzig-Marx Website: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com/* Joshua Herizg-Marx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews. Get unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. It’s like having an ex-Meta interview coach available 24/7. Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhether you’re searching for your next role or hiring in a market where talent is scarce and expectations are sky-high—this episode is for you.Marc and Ben sit down with Anneli Scopazzi, founder of Boulevard Recruiting and former recruiting leader at Figma, Notion, and Palantir, to unpack how recruiting dynamics have shifted in early-stage startups. From the pressure to do more with fewer hires to the rising importance of domain expertise and “startup readiness,” Anneli shares hard-earned insights from years of placing critical hires at fast-growing companies.They also dig into how candidates can sharpen their narrative, build stronger relationships with recruiters, and turn moments of rejection into trust-building opportunities. Whether you’re hiring your first PM or preparing to land your next role, this episode offers real talk and practical advice from both sides of the table.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:40) How AI is actually making recruiting harder, not easier* (04:27) What startups really look for in their first PM and why the bar keeps rising* (13:55) What “market mapping” looks like behind the scenes—and how candidates can show up in more searches* (21:01) What unemployed candidates can do to regain momentum and stand out* (37:09) Why recruiters ghost candidates (and what’s actually going on behind the scenes)* (45:34) Telling an honest story vs giving the “right” answer—and how recruiters really respond* (51:41) How to ask for feedback the right way—without putting the recruiter or yourself in a bad spot* (56:42) Commonalities across interview processes at Stripe, Uber, Notion, and DoorDash* (01:01:01) The rise of generalist vs specialist PM tracks—and how companies are structuring loops differently* And more!Links:* Anneli Scopazzi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anneliscopazzi/* Boulevard recruiting: https://www.boulevardrecruiting.com/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews. Get unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. It’s like having an ex-Meta interview coach available 24/7. Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat does “AI-native” actually look like inside a company — not in theory, but in practice?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with James Dillard, former YouTube and Stripe PM, who recently spent three months embedded at Roo Code, an AI-native startup building coding agents that can write and review production code.James shares what it was like to join a 10-person team where everyone contributes to the codebase — from designers to community managers — and where the product process has been reimagined from the ground up.He walks through how discovery, design, and iteration actually work in an environment where code is the default language of collaboration — and what that means for the future of product management, engineering, and org design.Whether you’re a product leader trying to make your org more AI-native, a founder exploring new operating models, or just curious about what “AI-native” means beyond the buzzwords — this episode offers a rare inside look at how the next generation of teams are really working.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, Stripe, or DoorDash?If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, Stripe, and DoorDash… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:12) What makes Roo Code different—minimal permission-seeking agents and rethinking team structure* (04:34) How and why every team member ships code (even support and marketing)* (08:33) Facing the fear of shipping your first PR as a non-engineer* (12:30) How AI is breaking traditional GitHub PR flows with cheaper, more frequent pull requests* (15:50) What a product development cycle looks like in an AI-native team* (26:03) Design systems as strategic leverage—and who gets to shape them* (35:59) Why defining the type of feedback matters more than ever* (48:30) Guardrails and the need for new review patterns to handle contributor sprawl* (52:27) Can non-AI-native companies adopt this way of working—or must they start from scratch? The 4-part framework.* (58:55) Rethinking core PM values like “sell before you build” in a world where you can ship a prototype in minutes* And more!Links:* James’s email: hello@jdilla.xyz* James’s blog: https://www.jdilla.xyz/blog* James’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dangerously-skip-permissions* James Dillard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesdillard/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews. Get unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. It’s like having an ex-Meta interview coach available 24/7. Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’re a product leader wondering whether climbing the ladder is still the best path - or sensing a shift in where the real leverage is in the age of AI - this episode will change how you think about your role.Gokul Rajaram (DoorDash board member, ex-Square, Google, Facebook) joins Marc and Ben for a powerful conversation about why many senior product leaders are stepping back into IC roles—and why that might be the smartest move you can make in today’s tech landscape. They unpack how the AI-native era has redefined leverage, why hands-on experience is critical to building credibility and staying relevant, and how the best PMs are evolving into multi-skilled builders who blend product, design, analytics, and engineering.They also explore what great product execution looks like today, how to hire (or become) a truly modern product leader, and what to prioritize if you’re joining a breakout company in a fast-moving space.Whether you’re a CPO, aspiring founder, or senior PM eyeing your next move, this conversation offers deep clarity on navigating your career in the AI era.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:22) Why many product leaders are returning to IC roles in AI-native companies* (05:05) What founders get wrong when hiring Heads of Product too early* (09:16) How product execution is evolving: prototypes over PRDs* (22:15) Building features vs driving measurable customer outcomes* (28:48) Why most CPO hires fail and how to promote from within instead* (34:17) How to evaluate which company to join: mission, trajectory, talent density, founder courage* (43:09) The importance of joining a company with high talent density and visionary leadership* (51:47) Should you optimize for company moats early on? Gokul’s contrarian take* (56:06) The power of low ego, high energy, and grabbing work no one else wants* (1:03:22) Why gratitude fuels energy and career momentum* And more!Links:* Gokul’s X: https://x.com/gokulr* Gokul Rajaram: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gokulrajaram1/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Check out Ben’s 🤖 AI Practice Copilot for Meta-Style PM Interviews. Get unlimited practice reps with calibrated feedback on Product Sense & Analytical Thinking questions. It’s like having an ex-Meta interview coach available 24/7. Featured in Lenny’s Newsletter 🔥* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you can get up to 35% in some of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeHow do you disagree with your CEO, especially a visionary founder, without putting your job or credibility at risk?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Elena Luneva (CPO, advisor, and executive coach) to unpack one of the most common, emotionally fraught challenges in product leadership: what to do when your CEO wants to change direction based on a gut instinct, and you disagree?Drawing from Elena’s coaching experience and her own time leading product at high-growth companies, the conversation explores how to navigate power dynamics, set boundaries without losing trust, and protect team momentum amid constant change. They also share tactical frameworks for managing roadmap pivots, setting expectations with execs, and negotiating trade-offs when the team is already stretched thin.Whether you’re a PM, product leader, or founder, you’ll walk away with practical strategies for navigating tough conversations, advocating for your team, and growing your influence, without losing your job or your sanity.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (00:35) Why this question resonates so deeply: “How do I manage a CEO who drives the roadmap by gut?”* (05:20) The challenge of re-underwriting your mental narrative every time the CEO shifts direction* (07:38) Why these moments can feel personal, even when they’re not?* (12:28) Why your executive team, not just your builders, becomes your “first team” as a product leader* (14:10) A playbook for responding to surprise roadmap changes: Listen, calibrate, and triage* (19:54) Advice for CEOs: How to share ideas without shutting down your team* (27:08) Using the Horizons framework to evaluate bets—and defuse emotional debates* (34:31) The hidden costs of failed bets—and why many great PMs leave big companies to do risky work elsewhere* (44:09) Giving CEOs the menu: options, trade-offs, and sunk costs* (54:18) Why great product leaders should also validate gut instincts with market truths* And more!Links:* Elena’s Course on AI Powered Executive Communication* Elena’s Course on How to Develop CPO-Level Skills* The Substack post that inspired this conversation: Your CEO Just Got Back From a Conference. Now What?* Elena’s Letters: https://elenasletters.substack.com* Elena’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaluneva/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. Enrollment for the 10th and final cohort of Ben’s course closes TONIGHT (Oct 13) and kicks of Oct 14. Ben’s popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’ve ever considered turning your expertise into a scalable product—or wondered what it actually takes to build and sell a useful AI copilot—this episode is for you.In this episode, Ben shares the full behind-the-scenes story of how he packaged his product management knowledge into a sellable, high-leverage AI Practice Copilot. From initial validation to prototyping in Claude to vibe coding in Cursor and shipping using various AI tools, he walks through every decision point in the journey. You’ll learn how to pick the right use case, what tools to use at each step, and the key insights that helped him turn his ideas into a real product in the market.Whether you’re a founder, PM, coach, or subject matter expert, this conversation is packed with actionable tactics to help you create, position, and monetize your own AI-native product.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:28) Why Ben built his own AI copilot and the inspiration behind it* (10:37) How Ben validated interest and clarified the user persona* (16:40) Validation of the idea and selling via Payhip* (20:26) The tools stack: from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and Vercel* (27:11) How Ben used automations and AI to update the workflow and reduce manual overload* (32:25) Why the copilot is built the way it is: AI acting as the “Interviewee”* (46:10) An example of how the copilot responds* (58:12) How the offering is packaged* (1:06:09) The evolution of the copilot over time and why was it worth the effort* (1:10:23) Final thoughts and advice for people building AI-native products* And more!Links:* Ben’s AI Practice Copilot: https://www.benerez.com/copilot* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/* Ep 36 with Tal Raviv: If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. Enrollment for the 10th and final cohort of Ben’s course starts October 14th! Ben’s popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo.* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat does it mean to truly be an “AI-native” company? And how are product roles evolving when PMs are expected to both execute faster and make sharper strategic decisions?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Adam Fishman—host of the Startup Dad podcast and longtime product leader and advisor —to unpack the key themes from Reforge’s recent AI Product Summit in San Francisco. Adam shares insights from conversations with leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Shopify, Zapier, and LinkedIn on how organizations are tackling AI adoption, redefining PM expectations, and navigating cultural change.The discussion ranges from Zapier’s live prototyping interviews for new hires, to LinkedIn’s shift from “product managers” to “product builders,” to the tension PMs face between increased executional leverage and the need for sharper strategic taste.Whether you’re a PM figuring out how to stay relevant, a product leader navigating culture change, or just curious how AI is transforming product organizations, this episode is packed with lessons you can apply today.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:22) Adam’s reflections from Reforge’s AI Product Summit in San Francisco and the big themes leaders are wrestling with.* (05:23) Zapier’s three levels of AI adoption—from ChatGPT tinkering to building workflows to submitting PRs in Cursor—and how they hire for it.* (07:59) How Zapier reached 97% adoption by combining tools, leadership modeling, and performance management.* (11:00) The risks of “shipping volume over quality” with AI, and why outcomes—not activity—must remain the north star.* (14:25) Which PM responsibilities are fading (handoffs to analysts, UXR, or designers) and which are becoming core (strategy, judgment, taste).* (22:50) The tension between increased execution leverage and rising expectations for strategic focus—why the PM role can feel “impossible.”* (33:10) How cross-functional roles (support, design, marketing) are evolving when anyone can now build prototypes or tools with AI.* (51:01) The future of specialization: why domain passion matters, but generalist builder skills may matter even more.* And more!Links:* Fishman AF Newsletter: https://www.fishmanafnewsletter.com* Startup Dad Podcast: https://www.startupdadpod.com/* Adam Fishman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:And here are some early favorites:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you’re part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. Enrollment for the upcoming cohort starting October 14th is now open! Ben’s popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat if interviewing for a PM job at Stripe, Uber, or Figma didn’t feel like walking into the unknown?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben take you behind the scenes of building Insider Loops—a new set of interview prep guides designed to give candidates the inside track at some of tech’s most competitive companies. They break down why they saw the opportunity, how they rapidly prototyped and shipped their first guides, and what they learned from dozens of conversations with PMs and hiring managers.From uncovering hidden disconnects between great PMs and great interviewees, to the surprising differences in how Uber, Figma, and Stripe run their loops, this episode blends entrepreneurship, product thinking, and tactical job-search insights. Whether you’re preparing for your next role or just curious about how Marc and Ben collaborated async to launch a new product, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways and fresh perspective.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (04:11) The problem: talented PMs failing interviews not from lack of skill but lack of preparation.* (11:18) The async workflow: GitHub repos, Cursor, and AI tools powering fast iteration.* (30:29) How Marc & Ben priced the guides and why they offer lifetime updates.* (40:50) The Uber guide: entropy in the jam, recruiter-as-Sherpa, and why overpreparing pays off.* (52:23) The Figma guide: consensus culture, executive presence, storytelling, and collaboration signals.* (58:40) The Stripe guide: product sense first, written culture, technical depth, and rigorous calibration.* (1:08:15) Lessons learned, surprising insights, and admiration for PMs going through these loops.* And more!Links:* Insider Loops: https://www.insiderloops.com/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:And here are some early favorites:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. While the next cohort won’t be until mid-October, his popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo.* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you're part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeWhat if personal finance wasn’t just about saving more or investing better—but about designing a life that feels meaningful, intentional, and aligned with your values?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Zach Teutsch, founder of Values Added Financial, to explore a radically human approach to wealth management. Instead of fixating solely on net worth, Zach helps high earners and tech professionals reframe their relationship with money, starting with life satisfaction and working backwards from there.They dive into the core questions that drive meaningful financial management, from how to balance ambition and family, to navigating equity compensation, sabbaticals, early-stage investing, and building a diversified “life portfolio.” Zach also shares tactical frameworks for spiky income years, Roth conversions, QSBS tax planning, and setting up estate plans that reflect your real priorities.Whether you're in tech, product leadership, or just rethinking how you manage money, this conversation will shift how you think about personal finance—from accumulation to alignment.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇Interviewing at Uber, Figma, or Stripe?Exciting news! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:28) Why Zach’s framework for “values-aligned wealth” stood out from traditional financial advice* (08:15) How fulfillment shows up through service, presence, relationships, and being “diversified” in life* (17:11) The 3 life planning questions Zach asks every client—and how they unlock clarity* (26:24) Why taking action now beats waiting for a million-dollar bank balance* (33:42) Creating habits and systems to align your calendar with your values* (41:12) Tactical financial “hacks” for tech folks: spiky income, Roth conversions, QSBS, and estate planning* (49:03) What kind of professionals you really need in your corner as your wealth grows* (56:30) Why everyone needs an estate plan—even if you don’t think you’re “rich enough” yet* (1:07:50) Why the best advisors act more like therapists: it's not just finance, it's life design* And more!Links:* Zach Teutsch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-teutsch/* Zach’s Email: zach@valuesadded.com* Zach on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/zteutsch.bsky.social* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:And here are some early favorites:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you're part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN.* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. While the next cohort won’t be until mid-October, his popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeIf you’ve wondered how much AI is really helping engineers - or feared it might replace them - this episode is for you.In this conversation, Marc and Ben sit down with Nick Meehan, a senior engineer and longtime collaborator, to explore how AI coding tools like Cursor, Claude, and Codex are reshaping day-to-day engineering work. Nick shares how his process evolved from copy-pasting into ChatGPT to using AI as a debugging partner, thought collaborator, and junior developer moving at superhuman speed.They cover the productivity gains, the pitfalls of vibe coding entire products, the new skills engineers need (critical thinking, architecture, team coordination), and what might never be replaced by AI. Nick also reflects on job security, how satisfaction in engineering is shifting, and where he sees the field heading over the next five years.Whether you’re an engineer experimenting with coding agents, a product leader trying to understand their impact, or simply curious about how AI is changing the craft of engineering, you’ll walk away with an insider’s perspective on what’s actually happening on the ground.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube.New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇✨ Special Surprise…We have some exciting news to share! If you’re a PM preparing for interviews at Uber, Figma, or Stripe… we think you’re going to love Insider Loops. You can read about it in Ben’s LI post, Marc’s LI post or check out the site directly below.In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (03:40) Nick’s journey from copy-pasting into ChatGPT to discovering Cursor and pushing his team at Ontra to adopt it.* (06:01) Defining pseudocoding vs. vibe coding—and where AI coding agents like Cursor, Claude, and Codex help or hurt.* (11:40) The “magic moment” when AI solved frontend toil—and why backend work still demands human judgment.* (15:31) Using AI as a thought partner and debugger: solving architecture problems and debugging in minutes instead of days.* (20:00) Nick’s current workflow: step-by-step collaboration with AI, micromanaging it like a superfast intern.* (30:19) Job security, critical thinking, and why learning to use AI is now a must-have engineering skill.* (40:43) The enduring value of critical thinking, team coordination, and problem-solving that AI can’t replace.* (58:35) Predictions: vibe-coded security disasters, a pendulum swing back to balance, and the rise of “cracked engineers.”* And more!Links:* Nick Meehan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickmeehan/ * Nick’s zoom marketplace app: https://nextmeet.ing/* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/If you’re a new subscriber, we encourage you to check out some of the recent episodes you might have missed:And here are some early favorites:To support the podcast, please check out the links below:* Preparing for Meta-style PM interviews? Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews has been selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥. While the next cohort won’t be until mid-October, his popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo.* Supra has teamed up with Maven to bring you something special – courses that our own community members have personally curated. And because you're part of the Supra family, you get $100 off any of these handpicked selections with code SUPRAxMAVEN. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit suprainsider.substack.com