Product Habits - How Wiz hit $100M ARR in 18 months

The Secrets of Great Remote Teams

Over the past several years, there has been a lot of debate about whether a remote team can be as productive and effective as an in-person team. My company Nira has been 100% remote from day one. Plenty of thought leaders will make the case that it's hard to manage people in a remote environment.

But it's entirely possible if you're willing to adapt your management and leadership style and find talent that thrives in the kind of work environment you want to create. Here are my extended thoughts on how to build a fully remote team well. 

Zuck Threads the Needle and Pricks Musk

In its first week, Threads amassed a record 100 million users thanks to an assist from Instagram's massive social graph. The new social platform has the look of Twitter with the smoothness and familiarity of Instagram. Some might be skeptical about Threads, but it's worth acknowledging that Meta is built to incorporate machine learning and AI into their products at turbo speed. The evolution of Threads alongside Twitter is bound to be an interesting journey for both the companies and users. 

The Future of Threads

Mark Zuckerberg thinks Threads will be bigger than Twitter: "It'll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with one billion+ people on it. Twitter has had the opportunity to do this but hasn't nailed it. Hopefully, we will." While they look alike, Twitter and Threads will serve a different crowd and purpose. This social communications graph highlights how things might take shape. 

How Great Products Work: Low Floor, High Ceiling

Many of the products we love most have a trait in common: they are easy to start using but can increase in complexity and flexibility as needed. There are risks with building a product that skews too far in either direction. If you focus on a low floor, you risk not creating a useful enough product. If you focus on a high ceiling, you might be making a product for experts only. Striking a balance between the two is the best bet.

The Support Leader's Dilemma With AI

Customer support teams will be among the first to experience the power of AI in making their workflows more productive. If you embrace it early, you'll be better positioned to support your customers and drive retention. Human support will still be best for handling challenging and complex issues, but AI can complement your team by resolving simple problems or frequently asked questions.

Modern Marketing Looks a Lot Like...

Marketing teams are becoming less like sales teams and more like product teams. This article explains how you can structure your marketing team in a way that promotes self-sufficiency and growth. More than ever, it's essential to have people like a no-code engineer, a user researcher, and a data analyst on your team. 

Google's New Chrome Campaign

Google just partnered with Busta Rhymes, Lil Yachty, and F1 racecar driver Lando Norris on a music video for a "Chrome Speed Challenge." It's an example of how the advertising game is shape-shifting. While old formats like commercials, billboards, and digital ads are probably not going anywhere, the best ads in the future will feel more creative, collaborative, and interactive. 

How Wiz Hit $100M ARR in Only 18 Months

Wiz has become the fastest-growing software company in history, hitting $100 million in ARR in just 18 months. VP of Product Strategy Raaz Herzberg was one of the company's first ten employees when she joined in 2020. She recently shared her perspective on how the company defined a new business category, went against legacy incumbents, and listened to customer subtext. This read is filled with important startup growth insights.