LP
Building Wiz: the fastest-growing startup in history | Raaz Herzberg (CMO and VP Product Strategy)
@ Lenny's Podcast
11/17/24
Takeaways
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I was one of the first ten employees and the first product manager at Wiz, which initially didn't have a clear idea when I joined. Six weeks after I started, we pivoted to focus on cloud security, which turned out to be a significant shift for the company.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
In the early days, we had 10 to 15 meetings every day with potential customers, but I still didn't fully understand what we were going to build, which was confusing for me as a product manager.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
After asking for clarity on our direction, we pivoted to cloud security, and I started to see enthusiasm from customers, which changed the nature of our conversations significantly.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
When we found product-market fit, the questions from customers shifted from general interest to specifics about pricing and purchasing, indicating a strong desire to move forward with us.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I transitioned from product management to marketing because I felt that marketing was an area we hadn't fully figured out yet, despite having a functioning sales team and clear product-market fit.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I realized that brand awareness was crucial; many potential customers expressed regret for not hearing about Wiz sooner, which highlighted the need for a stronger marketing strategy.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I believe that in the early days of a company, the heat shifts from product development to sales and then to marketing as the company grows and needs to scale its brand awareness.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
In my first board meeting as CMO, I presented my marketing plan and asked for introductions to marketing leaders, but my board member suggested that they should learn from me instead, recognizing the unique insights I brought from my product background.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I learned a lot from many marketers, including my own exceptional team, which helped me think differently about marketing.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
Building trust with the founding team is crucial because everything you do in marketing is very visible and can easily break that trust.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
It's challenging to succeed in a marketing role without a deep connection to the product and the founding team.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I believe that friction is good; it helps you push through areas where you're less confident and grow.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I want to ensure that everything we communicate is understandable to anyone, avoiding complex terminology that might alienate potential customers.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
Wiz's culture encourages employees to have an impact regardless of their title or experience, fostering loyalty and a healthy work environment.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I think embracing the feeling of being an imposter can be effective; it shouldn't stop you from making decisions or taking opportunities.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
I focus on brands I love and analyze what they do well, which helps me in my marketing role.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
When something feels too complex, it often indicates that it's not the right solution; sometimes you need to take a step back to find a simpler approach.
RH
Raaz Herzberg
11/17/24
@ Lenny's Podcast
Staying independent allows us to believe that Wiz can become one of the biggest security companies in the world, especially in the fast-growing cloud security market.