Supra Insider

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

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTubeThink a “portfolio career” makes family life chaotic? Ben argues the opposite.In this special episode of Supra Insider, Ben shares a more personal side of his journey in a conversation originally recorded on the Startup Dad podcast with Adam Fishman.From raising his daughter Gaia (with help from George, the family’s golden retriever) to navigating solo parenting in New York without nearby family, Ben opens up about the joys and challenges of fatherhood. He reflects on why a portfolio career actually feels more stable than a full-time job, how intentional routines have transformed his days, and the lessons learned from mistakes, community, and the chaos of parenting.If you’re a parent balancing an ambitious career, curious about the realities of raising kids in a big city, or simply want to hear a more personal side of Ben outside of product leadership, this episode offers candid stories, practical takeaways, and a heartfelt look at family life.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:47) George the golden retriever, Gaia’s favorite playmate, and the early days of parenting* (05:01) “Children will destroy your life and replace it with a better one” — reframing priorities* (08:30) How routines and compressed workdays reshape productivity as a parent* (09:53) Building a portfolio career with multiple income streams and why it feels more stable than full-time work* (22:25) Counterintuitive lessons from solo parenting and weekday vs. weekend dynamics* (29:22) Surprising joys of fatherhood and the sense of belonging it brings* (34:46) How structure and routines can be liberating rather than limiting* (45:43) Dad groups, community, and why parenting overlaps with relationship growth* (46:15) Technology, screens, and how the family navigates exposure for Gaia* (51:16) Lightning round: indispensable products, funniest bribes, chaotic mornings, and signature dad superpowers* And more!Links:* Startup Dad Episode with Ben: * YouTube* Spotify* Substack* 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 🔥. 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 YouTubeAI is transforming the way product teams approach customer research—but what should remain human, and what can be handed off to AI agents? In this episode, Marc and Ben sit down with Aaron Cannon, co-founder of Outset, to explore the evolving role of AI in discovery and usability testing. Aaron unpacks how AI-moderated research enables unprecedented speed and scale while preserving depth, why intuition remains critical for building great products, and how research teams can shift from execution to framing the right questions and telling better stories. The conversation also dives into the future of PM and UXR roles, collective intuition at companies, and the career paths that might emerge as AI takes on more “entry-level” tasks.Whether you’re a PM, designer, or researcher wondering how to integrate AI without losing the magic of human insight, this episode offers practical frameworks and a forward-looking perspective on what’s 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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:05) Why Aaron started Outset—and the research tradeoff between speed, scale, and depth* (03:28) Two kinds of research: human-led improvisation vs. AI-led repeatable studies* (07:34) How Outset keeps AI on-track with guardrails while still enabling deep exploration* (12:14) The rise of iterative qualitative research—and how teams are testing and learning faster than ever* (15:30) Why faster tools don’t mean you should ship more—just that you need stronger product judgment* (19:13) How to structure product experiments as hypotheses to sharpen team intuition* (29:40) The emerging role of UXR: from execution to storytelling, diplomacy, and company-wide insight building* (42:46) What AI means for early-career UXR and PM roles—and how career ladders are being rewritten* And more!Links:* Aaron Cannon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-a-ron-cannon/* Outset: https://outset.ai/* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 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 you could cut your QA cycles from days to minutes—and draft PRDs that actually update themselves as your product evolves?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Amir M, cofounder of Humblytics, to explore how he’s running a two-person startup across engineering, QA, and product using Cursor and Model Context Protocols (MCPs). Amir shares how he builds context-rich workflows, turns documentation into living systems, and uses agentic tools like Firecrawl and Playwright to automate the “boring” but critical parts of product development.If you’ve been curious about how to bring AI deeper into your product org—not just for brainstorming but for end-to-end execution—this conversation is packed with practical demos and mindsets 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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:11) Amir explains the tiers of AI fluency for PMs and how constraints of a small team pushed him to adopt Cursor beyond coding.* (03:50) Why Anthropic’s rebranding of MCPs as “tools” or “connectors” makes them more approachable for non-technical teams.* (06:51) Amir’s core MCP stack: Firecrawl for scraping, Playwright for agentic browser actions, and Perplexity for research.* (12:31) The future of browsers in an MCP world and the rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as the new SEO.* (21:33) Filtering noise vs. signal in AI trends and why true experts in this space are “tinkerers” rather than capital-E Experts.* (30:01) Live demo: Using Cursor to auto-generate a PRD for a new “no-code testing” feature, leveraging context from documentation.* (45:15) How custom modes, rules, and context engineering combine to create high-quality PRDs and QA plans.* (51:15) Automated QA in action: Using Playwright MCP to run test plans agentically—no manual clicking required.* (57:14) Running background QA agents and tying results into production workflows with Slack alerts.* And more!Links:* Amir’s cursor demo with Greg Isenberg: YouTube* Amir M: https://www.linkedin.com/company/amirmxtco/* Firecrawl: https://www.firecrawl.dev/mcp* Playwright: https://playwright.dev/* Humblytics: https://humblytics.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:* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 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 YouTubeAs AI agents become the new interface for work, a major question looms: how will your product connect into this ecosystem?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sat down with Reid Robinson, product manager leading AI at Zapier. They talked about the rise of Model Context Protocols (MCPs) — the new standard for connecting AI agents to tools and data sources.Reid explains the fundamentals of MCP clients vs. servers, why the standard is gaining traction across players like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Atlassian, and how product leaders can decide where to start. He also shares concrete examples, from personal productivity hacks to enterprise integrations, showing what’s possible when you combine MCP with Zapier’s 8,000+ app ecosystem.Whether you’re building your first AI copilot, figuring out how to expose your product’s data to agents, or just want to understand where this ecosystem is headed, this episode will give you a front-row seat to the future of AI interoperability.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (01:20) Reid explains MCPs, why they matter, and the client vs. server model (USB analogy).* (04:45) Clarifying definitions with practical examples (Claude + HubSpot, Zapier as bootstrap MCP server).* (10:45) Why product leaders should prioritize MCP: user behavior, AI adoption trends, and future risks.* (16:25) How MCPs differ from APIs and why agents need standardized tool use.* (23:11) Should companies start with an MCP client or server? Reid’s framework for prioritization.* (30:33) Real-world use cases: Reid’s personal dinner hack (real-time networking insights via Claude + Zapier MCP).* (39:10) Advanced use case: syncing a family whiteboard calendar with Google Calendar using Claude projects.* (43:30) Where to find Reid and how product teams can engage with Zapier’s MCP initiatives.* And more!Links:* Reid Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidtrobinson/* Zapier: https://zapier.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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 October, 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 happens to product management when building becomes nearly frictionless—and AI threatens to replace the “busy work” PMs have traditionally done?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with legendary product coach Rich Mironov to explore the shifting value of product leadership in the AI era. They unpack why great PMs must now double down on customer insights, business understanding, and organizational influence rather than execution—and how this shift impacts hiring, mentorship, and career paths.From the dangers of AI-washing and backlog bloat to the rise of lifestyle businesses and the blurred line between product and business leadership, this conversation is packed with perspective for Product Leaders, aspiring founders, and anyone navigating today’s chaotic tech landscape.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (0:50) Why Rich wrote “Bottlenecks, AI, and Where the Product Adds Value”—and his concern about AI hype replacing meaningful product work.* (02:55) The swing from “PMs are obsolete” to “PMs are the bottleneck”—and why AI-first valuations fuel unrealistic expectations.* (07:57) The case for experimentation: why PMs must waste time and money to discover real value in AI tools.* (10:00) Core PM value areas that don’t change in the AI era: customer insights, judgment, understanding business economics, and maintaining focus.* (13:39) The danger zone: faster building increases pressure to ship everything—and why resisting feature bloat matters more than ever.* (16:14) The vanishing junior PM ladder: AI’s impact on entry-level roles and why career pathways may shift toward customer-facing functions.* (30:04) Building alliances inside the C-suite: CFOs, marketing leaders, and others who share a long-term mindset.* (36:06) The shift from doing product work to leading product organizations—navigating politics, incentives, and coaching the next generation.* (51:43) Lifestyle businesses, founder tradeoffs, and why not every great PM needs to chase unicorn-scale outcomes.* (59:44) The intrinsic joy of building products (and teams) that grow up to thrive—why mentorship is the legacy of great product leaders.* And more!Links:* Rich Mironov: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richmironov/* Rich’s post: https://www.mironov.com/ai-bottlenecks/* Rich’s website: https://www.mironov.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:* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 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 YouTubeWhat if the key to showing up as a great leader had nothing to do with your title, metrics, or credentials—and everything to do with knowing who you are outside of work?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with executive coach Charles Ruiz to explore how leaders can shift from external validation to authentic presence. Charles shares the origins of his mantra “Presence over Preference,” his Four Cs framework (Core, Craft, Community, Creativity) and the transformative practice of running an “identity marathon” through meaningful places from his past.You’ll hear benefits of executives ditching scripted presentations for personal anecdotes (including burrito orders), reframing failure as fuel, and designing your own “games” and “seasons” of life instead of playing someone else’s. Whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, pivoting careers or just questioning who you are beyond your job, this conversation will help you reconnect with your story—and turn it into your superpower.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (04:56) Backstory of the “Presence over Preference” mantra and how a brand exercise in New York sparked it.* (08:28) Balancing presence with social media: reframing posts as “creative love notes” to self and family.* (13:07) Sunday family ritual: revisiting old photos to foster gratitude and presence with his daughters.* (16:45) “Standardize before you optimize”: lessons from friends, wearables, and focusing on what matters first.* (21:08) Introducing the Four Cs framework (Core, Craft, Community, Creativity) and redefining performance through presence.* (25:27) Helping high performers answer “Who am I outside of work?” and why most can’t—until mid-career or later.* (31:58) The Identity Marathon: revisiting formative places to reconnect past and present self; emotional and physical impact.* (41:35) Coaching executives to weave personal quirks (like burrito orders) into presentations for authentic storytelling.* (47:50) Leaning into superpowers and showing weaknesses to lead more authentically; parallels to stand-up comedy and self-awareness.* (55:07) Corporations, “playing someone else’s game,” and choosing to design your own seasons of life and career.* And more!Links:* Charles Ruiz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-ruiz/* Charlie Ruiz IG: https://www.instagram.com/charleslruiz/* Michael Singer Podcast: https://resources.soundstrue.com/michael-singer-podcast/* Michael Singer Book: https://a.co/d/3aabILj* Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man & the Pool: https://www.netflix.com/title/81665900* Willow Voice (Get the first month free by using Ben’s referral link): https://willowvoice.com/?ref=BEREZ64* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 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 walking away from your polished product career was the exact move you needed to grow?In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Jori Bell to explore her unconventional journey from PM roles at Spotify, SoundCloud, and Audible to building a coaching practice, curating intimate community spaces, and teaching at Cornell Tech. After two years of self-exploration and reinvention, Jori is now bringing her rediscovered superpowers—curiosity, empathy, and intuition—into her new role at Hampton, helping founders and CEOs cultivate meaningful peer connections.This conversation is a must-listen for anyone considering a career pivot, rethinking their relationship with work, or exploring how product skills can show up in unexpected, high-impact ways.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:22) How joining a small startup differed from onboarding at big tech companies* (04:56) The balance between jumping in to help and taking time to observe when onboarding* (07:21) Using curiosity and context-switching as superpowers in early-stage environments* (08:28) How Jori reverse-interviewed Hampton before joining—and what she looked for in the team* (15:39) Why real connection happens in small groups—and the limits of scaling community* (23:08) The art of matching people based on chemistry and shared emotional journeys* (30:15) Letting go of a product title to rediscover what truly energizes and aligns with your values* (35:42) Jori’s 4 core values for designing work: movement, elements, creativity, in-person connection* (44:28) Why hiring for “done it before” can backfire—and why curiosity and adaptability win* (51:32) Jori’s playbook for thorough interview due diligence—and the red flags to watch for* (59:09) Designing a career around gut instinct, not job titles—and trusting new opportunities to emerge* And more!Links:* Jori Bell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jori-bell/* Product Therapy by Jori Bell: https://joribell.substack.com* Hampton: https://joinhampton.com/* Willow Voice (Get the first month free by using Ben’s referral link): https://willowvoice.com/?ref=BEREZ64* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 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 YouTubeWhat if you had a personalized AI toolkit—not just a chatbot—that actually remembered your projects, your workflows, and even your family’s preferences?In this episode, Marc and Ben sit down with Mike Bal, a product leader experimenting at the frontier of AI tooling. Mike shares how he built a local memory system for Claude using Model Context Protocols (MCPs), enabling persistent knowledge graphs that connect everything from his product designs to his family’s vacation plans. They walk through how it works—step-by-step—including a live demo of Fleur (essentially a mini app marketplace to make it easy for non technical people to add MCPs to Claude), how Mike structures entities and relationships, and why this setup beats traditional RAG approaches for real-world usage.If you’ve ever wanted your AI to truly understand you and the work you do—or you're curious how a product leader uses AI to streamline everything from design reviews to family logistics—this episode is packed with real-world inspiration and actionable examples.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 👇In this episode, we covered the following topics:* (02:08) Why traditional RAG setups break down—and how knowledge graphs offer a more reliable foundation* (6:55) What MCPs actually are and why they’re more like a toolkit than an API reference* (11:45) Installing Fleur: the dead-simple way Mike connected Claude to a local memory system using MCPs* (15:30) Why traditional APIs fall short—and how MCPs give AI tools structured, usable context* (28:52) Live demo: How Claude pulls memory from a local knowledge graph—personal details, podcast history, and more* (35:28) A real-world example of how Mike planned a family trip using AI memory, including dietary needs and activity preferences* (44:10) How Claude’s memory MCP compares to project instructions and system prompts* (52:32) How Mike uses memory graphs for PRD reviews, user pain points, and feature validation* And more!Links:* Mike Bal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebal/* Mike’s Newsletter: https://www.leadingproduct.link/* Mike’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thatmikebal* David’s Bridal Wedding Planner Demo: https://pearl.davidsbridal.com/* David’s Bridal’s Revival with AI: https://venturebeat.com/ai/retail-resurrection-davids-bridal-bets-its-future-on-ai-after-double-bankruptcy/* Fleur MCP App Store: https://www.fleurmcp.com/* Willow Voice (Get the first month free by using this link!): https://willowvoice.com/?ref=BEREZ64* 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 a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? 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 October, his popular AI Copilot for interview practice is available here, where you can also see a live demo (ChatGPT support coming soon).* 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