Supra Insider

Listen now: Spotify, Apple and YouTube

As 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 YouTube

What 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 YouTube

What 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 YouTube

What 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 YouTube

What 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

What if you could access a personalized career coach anytime—one who remembers your goals, understands your tendencies, and gives you thoughtful, actionable guidance?

In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Kavita Anand, a product leader at NewtonX, to explore how she built her own AI-based career coach using tools like Claude and ChatGPT—and then taught 30+ women at her company how to do the same. She breaks down the exact system she used: crafting a system prompt, running a kickoff conversation, and curating relevant context to create a truly helpful AI co-pilot.

They also explore how to avoid common pitfalls like getting generic advice or triggering confirmation bias, and why voice-based AI interfaces are changing how people reflect and communicate with AI. Whether you’re a product leader, an early-career PM, or just AI-curious, this episode will show you how to start designing an AI coach that works the way you want—even if it takes a little tinkering.

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:

* (02:38) Kavita shares how she adapted ideas from a Supra-led workshop to run a 90-minute session with 30+ women at NewtonX.

* (06:01) The three components of an effective Claude-based co-pilot: system prompt, project knowledge, and chat threads.

* (08:13) How participants personalized their AI coaches to reflect their needs, coaching preferences, and role-specific challenges.

* (10:10) Kavita’s personal use case: how AI coaching gives her access and emotional freedom that human coaches can’t.

* (14:29) Why the biggest limitation of AI coaching is often the user, not the model—and how to give better context.

* (26:40) Prompt engineering tactics that dramatically improve AI outputs—like role prompting, decomposition, and self-critique.

* (30:00) Building a Claude project from scratch: writing a system prompt and refining it with live feedback.

* (45:38) Why adding too much unstructured project knowledge can harm output—and how to curate and index it effectively.

* (49:38) Live demo: AI coach reacts to a real-world workplace challenge with thoughtful, adaptive follow-up questions.

* (54:23) Designing workshops to ensure participants get to their “aha” moment and leave with a working AI copilot.

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Kavita Anand: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kavitaanand05/

* 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/

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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting July 15th.

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:

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

If you’re navigating today’s brutally competitive PM job market and wondering what “good” looks like, this episode will become your playbook. In this episode, Ben moderates a candid panel with three veteran product hiring managers:

Nickey Skarstad – Director of Product, Duolingo (now leading Duolingo Math)

Stephanie J. Neill – Head of Product, Stripe Tax

Chantal Cox – Director of Product, LTK (LiketoKnow.it creator platform)

Together, they reverse-engineer every stage of their 2025 hiring funnels—from 30-second resume scans to offer debriefs—and spell out the signals that turn an applicant into a hire. You’ll hear why product-sense interviews have moved to earlier in the process, how AI prototypes are becoming table-stakes, and the red flags (LLM-generated answers, recycled stories etc.) that get instant no-hires. Whether you’re an aspiring PM or a manager revamping your own process, you’ll leave with concrete, immediately applicable tactics for landing—or giving—an offer.

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:

* 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting July 15th.

* 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.

In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* (01:40) Guest intros: Nickey (Duolingo), Stephanie (Stripe), Chantal (LTK).

* (08:00) Chantal details LTK’s funnel—recruiter screen, hiring-manager call, AI feature exercise, leadership loop.

* (11:30) Stephanie explains Stripe’s flow and why Product Sense now precedes the full loop.

* (13:20) Nickey walks through Duolingo’s four rounds and the new interactive prototype requirement.

* (17:50) What wins a résumé review: tight one-page metrics, LinkedIn consistency, warm referrals.

* (24:40) Hiring-manager screens: confirming skill fit, probing AI curiosity, expecting candidates to have used the product.

* (31:00) Offer debriefs—looking for “spikes” in key areas, guarding against bias, zero tolerance for failed rounds at Duolingo.

* (43:40) How candidates should and should not use Gen-AI; interview-prep bots, friction logs, lightweight prototypes.

* (50:20) Early-career advice: move internally, start in customer-facing roles, ship side-project AI apps, network before you need it.

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Nickey Skarstad: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickeyskarstad/

* Stephanie J. Neill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieneill/

* Chantal Cox: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantalcoxsf/

* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/

* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/

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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

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:

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

If you’ve ever launched an AI feature and later realized it wasn’t quite ready—or struggled to define what “quality” even looks like in an AI product—this episode is for you.

In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Aman Khan, Head of Product of Arize AI and a leading voice in AI product evaluation. Aman has helped dozens of teams—from scrappy startups to massive consumer platforms—build systematic approaches for evaluating LLM-powered features. Together, they explore the dangers of “vibe coding” your way to production, how to define and operationalize evals across different layers of your product, and why even “good” outputs can still lead to bad outcomes without proper measurement.

Whether you’re a PM under pressure to ship AI features fast, or a product leader figuring out how to instill quality and reliability into your development process, this conversation is packed with frameworks, analogies (like self-driving cars), and hard-won lessons you can use to build smarter and ship more confidently.

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 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. Aman’s course is part of the partnership 🚀

* 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting July 15th.

In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* (00:00) The danger of launching AI features without proper evaluation—and why trust is hard to rebuild

* (04:12) “Vibe coding” explained: when teams ship based on gut feel instead of structured validation

* (09:07) Real-world example: a travel chatbot gets great engagement—until users start jailbreaking it

* (15:36) Defining “good enough”: how to set AI quality metrics across tone, latency, hallucinations, and risk

* (19:58) What PMs can learn from self-driving car evals—and how to build iterative test sets for reliability

* (23:04) How LLM-as-a-judge works: using one model to grade another, and when to rely on human labels

* (34:14) Spotting dangerous “false positives”: when outputs seem right but come from flawed reasoning

* (42:22) What to do when your evals say “good” but the business metrics drop—and who’s responsible

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Aman Khan Website: http://amank.ai

* Aman Khan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanberkeley/

* Aman Khan X: https://x.com/_amankhan

* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/

* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/

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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

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:

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 sets you apart in a world where AI can do more and more of your job? In this episode, Marc and Ben are joined by Hilary Gridley—Head of Core Product at WHOOP and instructor of the Maven course How to Be a Supermanager with AI—to unpack how great product leaders can use AI to magnify their strengths instead of dulling them.

Hilary breaks down her approach to time allocation, sharing how she dissects messy, ambiguous work into its component parts and uses AI as a thinking partner—not a crutch. They explore how to identify high-leverage tasks, when investing time is essential for clarity, and why doing something the hard way is sometimes the point. The conversation also touches on how PMs can design their roles around their superpowers, what good taste really means in product, and how managers can help their team grow by doubling down on what makes them exceptional.

If you're trying to become more intentional with how you spend your time, use AI more thoughtfully, or lead a team of PMs in this new era—this episode is for you.

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:

* 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

* 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.

In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* (00:00) Hilary’s approach to identifying and doubling down on her spikes as a product leader—and how AI helps magnify them.

* (04:00) How she breaks down ambiguous product work into sub-skills to better allocate time and energy.

* (11:30) The tradeoff between leverage and clarity—and why doing something the hard way can be the right call.

* (17:00) Frameworks Hilary uses to decide when to delegate, when to coach, and when to go deep herself.

* (22:00) How she uses AI tools like Claude as thinking partners to sharpen ideas and move faster.

* (27:00) Why “taste” in product is hard to teach—but essential to develop as a PM.

* (32:30) The biggest mistake new managers make when trying to “round out” their team—and how to coach for spikes instead.

* (38:00) How to build a team with differentiated strengths that complement each other instead of copying one another.

* (44:00) What Hilary learned from teaching 100+ managers in her Maven course on using AI to lead more effectively.

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Hilary Gridley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilarygridley/

* Hilary’s Substack: https://hils.substack.com/

* How to Become a Supermanager with AI: https://maven.com/hilary-gridley/ai-powered-people-management

* Hilary’s recent episode on “How I AI” with Claire Vo

* Superpowers by SYPartners: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/superpowers-by-sypartners/id1309752471

* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/

* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/

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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

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:

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

If you’ve ever found yourself torn between chasing a long-term product vision and urgently responding to customer demands—or wondered how to strike the right balance between innovation and pragmatism—this episode is for you.

In this episode of Supra Insider, Marc and Ben sit down with Troy Sultan and Austin Cooley, co-founders of Guide, to explore how they transformed their entire product philosophy from idealistic "big bets" into rapid, incremental solutions based on direct customer feedback. Over eight years as co-founders, Troy and Austin have navigated the common pitfalls of visionary product building, learning to validate product ideas faster, communicate clearly with customers, and shift their strategy to achieve real, measurable results.

Whether you're a founder trying to align your product roadmap with sales insights, a product leader collaborating closely with visionary executives, or simply want to sharpen your ability to translate customer feedback into actionable decisions, you’ll walk away from this conversation with practical insights you can use immediately to build products that customers genuinely love.

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 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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

In this episode, we covered the following topics:

* (00:00) Austin and Troy’s journey shifting from building bloated, overly idealistic products to pragmatic solutions that customers love.

* (04:00) How Troy navigated stepping back from product leadership, trusting Austin to fully own the product vision.

* (16:00) The pitfalls of being overly attached to frameworks like Jobs-to-be-Done—and why rapidly shipping pragmatic improvements can be more effective.

* (25:00) A real-world example of aggressively scoping down features to deliver immediate customer value and accelerate learning.

* (34:00) The power of founder-led sales for validating ideas and prioritizing the roadmap based on real customer pull, rather than assumptions.

* (45:00) How Guide leverages Slack to create tight feedback loops, strengthen customer relationships, and boost retention through unmatched responsiveness.

* (1:12:00) Why consistent, incremental wins ultimately provide more momentum and clarity than chasing long-term idealistic visions.

* And more!

If you’d like to watch the video of our conversation, you can catch that on YouTube:

Links:

* Troy Sultan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/troysultan/

* Austin Cooley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adcooley/

* Guide: https://www.guide.co/

* Marc: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbaselga/

* Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benerez/

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? 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 his AI Copilot for interview practice. Supra Insider listeners get 10% off the course with promo code “suprainsider”. Enrollment is now open for the next cohort starting June 17th.

*

* 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:

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