#52: The beautiful mess of organizational context | John Cutler & Joshua Herzig-Marx
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with John Cutler and Joshua Herzig-Marx for a wide-ranging conversation about how AI is transforming the way product teams build, collaborate, and scale. John shares why he joined a new early-stage startup as Head of Product and how the team is breaking the traditional rules of product development—starting with a platform-first mindset. The conversation explores the rise of highly configurable tools, the new personas emerging in AI-native organizations, and how simulations, knowledge graphs, and organizational ontologies might shape the next generation of work. Whether you're a product leader, founder, or operator curious about the frontier of product ops and AI tooling, this episode offers tons of insight—and inspiration. 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 👇 To support the podcast, please check out the links below: * Supra just launched its first Product Leadership compensation & tools benchmarks report. The report covers comp trends across different seniority tiers, work settings, and reporting structures. Want to get access to the full report? Please fill out this form to get your exclusive copy. * Preparing for a PM interview with tech companies like Meta and Google? Check out Ben's course for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews (selected by Lenny Rachitsky as a Top Course in Product on Maven 🔥) and the standalone AI Copilot for practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting April 22nd. In this episode, we covered the following topics: * Why John Cutler returned to full-time product leadership and what excites him about the role * How platform-first thinking changes the way early-stage teams build and ship * The importance of optionality and choosing the right design partners * How AI is reshaping product ops—turning operators into builders and enabling faster experimentation * The power (and limitations) of building synthetic organizations to simulate internal dynamics * Why abstractions, ontologies, and knowledge graphs matter for collaboration in AI-era companies * How product teams should approach pricing, packaging, and customer segmentation in a world of custom solutions * And much more! If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube: Links: * John Cutler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnpcutler/ * Joshua Herzig-Marx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Joshua Herzig-Marx’s Website: https://jhm.lol/ * Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/ If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend or colleague 👇 Also, 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 less recent favorites: Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
How to Talk to Software Engineers with Josh Herzig Marx
🎯 Engineering Communication Excellence: Breaking Down Barriers with Josh Herzig-Marx A deep dive into transforming how product teams communicate with engineers, featuring expert insights from coach Josh Herzig-Marx. Learn practical frameworks for better collaboration, effective requirement documentation, and creating a culture of open dialogue in tech teams. 🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!): Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodes Connect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/ Subscribe to our Newsletter: https://fullscaleteam.com/newsletter Get our FREE Ebook: https://fullscaleteam.com/productfirstteams Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/ 🔑 Key Discussion Points: Why perfect documentation isn't the answer and what to focus on instead The power of visual storytelling in product development How to engage engineers earlier in the product process Transforming engineers from order-takers to strategic partners Creating psychological safety for better team conversations ⏱️ Episode Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction and Background 02:11 - Early Stage Company Challenges 04:04 - The Problem with Perfect Documentation 07:18 - Managing Trade-offs in Development 13:07 - User Story Mapping and Visual Tools 16:44 - The Power of Storytelling in Requirements 20:23 - Google's Approach to Product Vision 24:01 - Top Challenges in Early-Stage Companies 26:39 - Bringing Engineers into the Process Earlier 28:36 - Rethinking Documentation Approaches 30:17 - The Importance of Fundamentals 💡 Featured Insights: "The goal of documents isn't to better communicate, it's to have better conversations." - Josh Herzig-Marx 📚 Resources Mentioned: RANDS Leadership Slack Community Josh's Website: jhm.lol User Story Mapping Techniques Lenny's Slack Community 🎯 Ready to transform your engineering communication? Hit subscribe and the notification bell to never miss insights on building better product teams. Leave a comment with your biggest communication challenge - let's solve it together!
The Product Strategy Secrets They Won’t Teach You in School!
🎙️ Ep #15: The Product Strategy Secrets They Won’t Teach You in School! with Josh Herzig-Marx In this episode, I had the AWESOME opportunity to sit down with Josh Herzig-Marx, a seasoned product leader with over 20 years of experience in startups, tech leadership, and product strategy. We discuss the real challenges of strategic alignment in product teams, why so many companies struggle to prioritize effectively, and how product managers can take ownership of their role to drive impact. Josh shares candid insights from his journey, including what it takes to be a successful product leader, how startups can navigate misalignment, and the reality behind product strategy that no one talks about. 🔑 What You’ll Learn: - The #1 mistake product managers make when prioritizing work - How to navigate misalignment and drive real business impact - Why leadership, product, and design teams struggle to collaborate—and how to fix it - The key to empowering yourself as a PM (even in tough environments) 👥 Connect with Josh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ Website: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com/ 💬 Join the Conversation: Have thoughts on this episode? Want to connect with others listening and special guests on the podcast?? Join our community to continue the conversation: Alignmentiskey.com 🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a review! Let’s make alignment your superpower! 🚀
#42: How AI is changing the way product teams work | Tal Raviv & Joshua Herzig-Marx
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with Tal Raviv and Joshua Herzig-Marx to explore AI's seismic impact on product development. This conversation unpacks how revolutionary tools like Replit and Vercel v0 are democratizing prototyping and reshaping traditional roles across design, engineering, and product management. Delving beyond surface-level observations, our guests share provocative insights on AI agents' role in reshaping workplace dynamics and envision the emergence of AI-native enterprises. From reimagining established workflows to envisioning AI-first companies, this episode delivers crucial insights for anyone building products in the AI era. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video). New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 To support the podcast, please check out the links below: * Preparing for a PM interview with tech companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI? Check out Ben's Maven bootcamp for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off with promo code “suprainsider”. The next cohorts open for enrollment are February 4-16 and March 4-16. * Want to connect with product leaders like you? Check out Supra, an invite-only community with 350+ product leaders. You'll get matched with a group of 6-8 carefully vetted individuals and participate in a monthly session facilitated by a world-class coach. Last year, members reported solving their top product challenges 3x faster through these sessions. Plus, tap into our vibrant Slack community for "behind closed doors" topics, join exclusive speaker events with industry pioneers, and connect at intimate roundtables and in-person meetups. In this episode, we covered the following topics: * How tools like Replit, Vercel v0 are changing the prototyping process * The evolving roles of designers, engineers, and product managers in an AI-driven world * The challenges of integrating AI into legacy systems vs. building AI-native businesses * Why leveraging AI tools is less about magic and more about mastering strategy * The rise of AI agents and their potential to revolutionize decision-making and automation * Balancing creativity, vision, and taste in the age of generative AI * The future of work and how product managers can thrive in a world of infinite leverage * And much more! If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube: Links: * AI’s Uneven Arrival: https://stratechery.com/2025/ais-uneven-arrival/ * Joshua Herzig-Marx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Tal Raviv: https://maven.com/tal-raviv/product-manager-productivity-system * Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/ If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend or colleague 👇 Also, 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 less recent favorites: Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
#40: How Pie Insurance Implemented the Product Operating Model | Brenton Sellati (VP of Product @ Pie Insurance)
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with Brenton Sellati, VP of Product at Pie Insurance, and Joshua Herzig-Marx as the honorary co-host for this episode to dive into the transformational journey of implementing the product operating model at Pie Insurance. Brenton shares how he overhauled Pie’s product strategy, slashing 66% of the roadmap to focus on high-ROI initiatives, aligning leadership, and fostering a product-led culture. With insights from Joshua throughout the discussion, the episode explores the challenges and successes of introducing a problem-first mindset, building cross-functional collaboration, and creating a transparent prioritization system. This episode is packed with actionable advice for product leaders and executives looking to drive organizational change and implement sustainable product practices. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video). New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 To support the podcast, please check out the links below: * Preparing for a PM interview with tech companies like Meta, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI? Check out Ben's Maven bootcamp for Product Sense and Analytical Thinking PM interviews. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off with promo code “suprainsider”. * Want to connect with product leaders like you? Check out Supra, an invite-only community with 350+ product leaders. You'll get matched with a group of 6-8 carefully vetted individuals and participate in a monthly session facilitated by a world-class coach. Last year, members reported solving their top product challenges 3x faster through these sessions. Plus, tap into our vibrant Slack community for "behind closed doors" topics, join exclusive speaker events with industry pioneers, and connect at intimate roundtables and in-person meetups. In this episode, we covered the following topics: * How Brenton implemented the product operating model to transform Pie Insurance’s product strategy * The decision-making process behind slashing 66% of the roadmap and refocusing on high-ROI initiatives * The importance of transparency and a data-driven approach to prioritization * Challenges of transitioning to a problem-first mindset and how Pie Insurance’s leadership aligned to support the change * Practical advice for empowering cross-functional teams and building a culture of continuous improvement * Insights on fostering alignment and navigating organizational change * And much more! If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube: Links: * Brenton Sellati: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brentonsellati/ * Joshua Herzig-Marx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/ If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend or colleague 👇 Also, 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 less recent favorites: Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
#28: From childhood besties to Google acquisition | Joshua Herzig-Marx & Ben Sprecher (Co-founders @ Incentive Targeting)
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with longtime friends and co-founders, Joshua Herzig-Marx and Ben Sprecher, to explore their journey from childhood friendship to building a company that was acquired by Google. In this candid conversation, Joshua and Ben share their co-founder origin story, the challenges they faced scaling a startup, and how they managed their relationship through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. They also dive into the crucial lessons learned from hiring a CEO, pivoting their business model, and making tough decisions to ensure a successful exit. This episode is packed with invaluable insights for anyone thinking about finding a co-founder or navigating the early stages of a startup. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video). New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 In this episode, we covered the following topics: * Josh and Ben’s co-founder origin story, from childhood friends to business partners * The importance of trust and intellectual respect between co-founders * Why finding a co-founder with complementary skill sets can save a startup from failure * The decision to hire a CEO and how it shaped their company’s trajectory * Navigating the emotional challenges of running a startup and maintaining a strong co-founder relationship * The pivotal moments that led to their startup being acquired by Google * Lessons learned from balancing long-term vision with short-term opportunities * And more! If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube: Links: * Joshua Herzig-Marx: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Josh’s site: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com/ * Ben Sprecher: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bensprecher/ * Josh’s wife Carla Naumberg’s new book, How to Stop Freaking Out: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/how-to-stop-freaking-out/ * Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/ * Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/ If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend or colleague 👇 Also, 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 less recent favorites: Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
8 Ways to Rescue Your Underperformers
You love your team -- and all the people in it. And sometimes... Those people you love just don't seem to be performing at the level you need them to. So you agonize. What can you do? Must you fire them? What will the rest of the team think? Is there really no way for me to cajole them into better performance? They seem to mean well. Ack! Join us for 8 suggestions you can employ to help them turn things around. Sometimes... Opening up that seat so someone else can fill it is the best option. Often, some extra savvy leadership can help to turn things around.
#18: How to scaffold founders with Josh Herzig-Marx
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, we’re excited to bring you our second conversation with Josh Herzig-Marx (a follow up on episode 16). Josh was one of the early facilitators in Supra, has been a successful founder who sold his company to Google, held multiple early stage product leadership roles, and in recent years has found meaning in his role as an early stage product coach. All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video). New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 In this sequel to our previous episode with Josh (episode 16), we talked about: * Josh’s scaffolding framework (soothing, insights, practice) * When founders should delegate the hard thing vs do it themselves * How to think about playing to your strengths as a founder * When to hire full-time vs fractional * Why anything other than product and sales/GTM is a distraction before you have product-market fit * And more! This conversation will be particularly useful for founders, early stage heads of product, product advisors, and founding PMs. Hope you enjoy it! If you’d like to watch the video of our interview, you can catch that on YouTube: If you enjoyed this conversation, please share it with a friend or colleague 👇 Links: * Josh’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Josh’s website: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
#16: Coaching early product hires and founders with Josh Herzig-Marx
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, we’re excited to bring you our conversation with Josh Herzig-Marx. Josh was one of the early facilitators in Supra, has been a successful founder who sold his company to Google, held multiple early stage product leadership roles, and in recent years has found meaning in his role as an early stage product coach. New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 In our conversation, we talked about * Josh’s decision two years ago to take a break from full-time salaried work to become the primary parent for his two daughters, supporting his wife Carla’s booming career as a bestselling author and clinician * The founding PM + founder relationship and why it’s critical for founders to own the product vision and strategy for longer than comfortable * The role of product coaches in early stage startups and Josh’s journey into the coaching world * And more! This conversation will be particularly useful for founders, early stage heads of product, and founding PMs. Hope you enjoy listening! If you’d like to watch the video of our interview, you can catch that on YouTube: Links: * Josh’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ * Josh’s website: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com * Josh’s wife Carla Naumburg’s newly released book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Stop-Freaking-Out-Ultimate/dp/1523518243 * All of Carla’s books: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/ * Article: Why You Want to be the *Second* 1st PM by Jason Evanish New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox 👇 Thank you for subscribing. Share this episode.
Default parent to teenagers and being married to a parenting PhD | Josh Herzig-Marx & Carla Naumburg
In this special, 10th episode I interviewed husband and wife team Josh Herzig-Marx and Carla Naumburg, PhD. Josh is a product executive and coach, a former VP of Product, founder and ex-Googler. He is also the "default" parent to two teenagers having chosen to step back as Carla leaned more into the workforce as a best-selling parenting book author. Carla is a clinical social worker and mother. She’s the author of four non-fiction books, including her international bestseller, How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids (Workman, 2019), as well as You Are Not a Sh*tty Parent, and the forthcoming How to Stop Freaking Out, the (completely swear-free) middle-grade adaptation of How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids. In this episode we discuss: - Transition stages for kids and puberty during the pandemic - The argument that led to their decision to start a family - IVF and fertility - How you can't learn to be a parent from a pamphlet - Understanding privilege and balance as a parent - Their decision for Josh to be the default parent - Whether you're in Teen or Tween mode and what to do - Parenting Frameworks - What it means to be a good parent - Rapid fire! — Where to find Josh Herzig-Marx - Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/herzigma - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ Where to find Carla Naumburg - Carla's Website: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/ - Carla's Books: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/ Where to find Adam Fishman - Newsletter: https://www.fishmanafnewsletter.com - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/ - Twitter (aka X): https://twitter.com/fishmanaf - Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fishmanaf — In this episode, we cover: [2:10] Personal background [4:36] How did you meet? [6:54] Family/kids [8:12] Kid’s transition stages/puberty [11:46] Decision to start a family [15:30] IVF [19:04] Earliest memories of becoming a parent [24:04] Work/life balance [26:05] Privilege [31:50] Being the default parent [38:28] Teen vs. Tween mode [39:18] Parenting frameworks [48:20] What is a good parent/unconditional love [52:52] Rapid fire round — Show references: You're Not a Sh*tty Parent: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/youre-not-a-shtty-parent/ How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t With Your Kids: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/how-to-stop-losing-your-sht-with-your-kids/ Ready, Set, Breathe: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/ready-set-breathe/ All of Carla's Books: https://www.carlanaumburg.com/books/ — Production support for Startup Dad is provided by Tommy Harron at http://www.armaziproductions.com/ Episode art designed by Matt Sutherland at https://www.mspnw.com/
Nailing the transition from IC PM to Product Leadership
Steve Klein (twitter.com/stevenklein) talks with Josh Herzig-Marx (linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx) about the new things you’ll be expected to do when transitioning to a Product Leadership role, and how you can accel at them. 🔗 Links * Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuaherzigmarx/ 🚀 Check out LaunchNotes: https://launchnotes.com 🙏 Join Launch Awesome: https://www.launchnotes.com/launch-awesome 📺 Follow on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClgMZx0kGDSSBAQG0wkDRyg Check out the LaunchNotes Podcast: https://launchnotes-podcast.launchnotes.io/ 📝 Show notes (00:00) - Introductions (04:32) - Why transitioning from IC to leadership is hard (09:57) - Communicating the product vision (17:44) - Building out a hiring process (24:31) - Delivering feedback to direct reports (29:37) - Career ladders (35:15) - Prioritizing product work (37:27) - Differences between an IC and a manager (38:42) - How to get leadership on board for growing the product team (40:52) - Growth and promotions as a product manager (43:30) - The important skill of delegating (45:11) - Dealing with unclear ownership (47:40) - Developing junior PMs into seasoned PMs
Vision-Aligned Development: How to Communicate Company Vision to Product | The Pair Program Ep14
Vision-Aligned Development: How to Communicate Company Vision to Product | The Pair Program Ep14 Join us as our hosts, Tim and Mike, talk to Marina Simonian and Joshua Herzig-Marx. Marina is a product professional with almost 20 years of experience in designing and launching successful products, primarily in the healthcare systems and digital health industry. She has worked with teams of various configurations, locations, backgrounds and styles, and over the years has honed in on the fact that vision driven development is critical for delivering true value and aligning teams around a common goal. Joshua has been the first product leader at very early stage organizations for the past 15 years, running product at Gasbuddy, Catalina Digital, Alyce, and Brigit. He’s recently stepped back from salaried work to be primary parent and when not making lunches, scheduling doctor’s appointments, and helping with homework, he coaches founders and solo PMs in product management and general management. Learn more on his website: https://joshua.herzig-marx.com In this episode we discuss how startup leaders can successfully communicate company vision to product and engineering. You’ll learn: - What is a company vision and why is it important to communicate it to the technical teams. - How to recognize when different teams are aligned on the company vision. - How to motivate employees at an early-stage company when the vision is still being formed. - When it’s time to adjust the company’s vision. - How to tell when a company’s vision is “working” Subscribe to the Pair Program from hatchpad, the podcast that gives you a front row seat to candid conversations with tech leaders from the startup world. Join host Tim Winkler (creator of hatchpad) alongside co-host Mike Gruen as they bring together two guests to dissect topics at the intersection of technology, startups, and career growth. Sign-Up for the Weekly hatchpad Newsletter: - https://www.myhatchpad.com/newsletter/ Get alerted about startup roles that match your unique profile: - https://www.myhatchpad.com/job/submit-your-profile/?source=YouTube+Description Follow us on Social!! ~https://twitter.com/my_hatchpad ~https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hatchpadcommunity/ 0:00 Host Intro and Episode Topic 2:15 Pair Me Up! 9:30 Vision Aligned Product Development 12:50 A template to build your company’s vision 14:51 Product Vision vs. Company Vision 18:15 Which comes first? Product Vision or Company Vision? 21:20 Problem definition vs. vision definition 23:45 Sales led growth vs. product led growth 25:35 How do you prioritize what is most essential for your product? 29:51 When should you adjust your vision? 37:17 How to make sure your vision statement tangible 42:46 What do you do if people disagree on the vision? 45:31 The role of product managers in communicating vision 49:36 Round Out My Career 1:01:52 Wrap Up
Best systematic step by step hiring process to find the best talent | Solvable Jobs
Joshua Herzig Marx is the Founder of a retail marketing technology company; sold to Google in 2012. Lead Product at Brigit, Alyce, GasBuddy, Catalina Marketing Digital. Particular expertise with SaaS and mobile products in retail, CPG, health care, and fintech. With a business model that is aligned with our customers, we create transparent, fair, and simple financial products that put money back in the hands of our members, help them spend wisely, and avoid unfair fees. We don’t just reduce stress — we promote sustainable financial health. Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/netrocondigital Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/company/netrocondigital/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/solvable.in/ Timestamps 00:00 'My company is old news' 00:58 Joshua's career journey 02:21 'It's a personal failing' 04:43 Joshua's candidate selection process 06:45 A stereotypical product manager in the US 07:44 Rubric for evaluating answers #howtohire #hiringemployees #howtohireemployees #hiringtips #recruitingtips #howtohirepeople #hiringpeople #hiringprocess #hiringtrainingvideo #howtohirepeopleforyourbusiness #hiring #recruiting #howtohireemployeesforyourbusiness #hiringemployeessmallbusiness #hiringemployeesforyoursmallbusiness #hiringemployeesasanllc #howtostarthiringemployees #howtohireemployeesforasmallbusiness #JoshuaHerzigMarx #SolvableJobs
Marketing Analytics for Product Management
What product managers should know about marketing analytics tools and best practices.