Building Wiz: The fastest-growing startup in history | Raaz Herzberg (CMO & VP Product Strategy)

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Raaz Herzberg is the chief marketing officer and VP of product strategy at Wiz. Wiz hit $100 million ARR within 18 months (the fastest growth in startup history) and, five years in, is generating over $500 million ARR. It also serves over 45% of the Fortune 100. Raaz was one of the first five employees at Wiz, joining as the first product manager, and helped the team pivot to what may be the most intense PMF in history. Before Wiz, Raaz led security products at Microsoft, including Azure Sentinel. In our conversation, we discuss:

• How Wiz pivoted from their initial idea and found deep product-market fit

• What Raaz learned about listening to customers

• Why she moved from product to marketing, despite no prior experience

• How she thinks differently as a marketer with a product background

• Lessons learned from scaling a hypergrowth startup like Wiz

• Much more

Some takeaways:

1. Don’t be afraid to admit when you don’t understand something, even if you think you’re the only one. Raaz’s willingness to say “I don’t understand” led to a crucial pivot for Wiz. This openness encouraged deeper discussions within the team and helped clarify the project’s direction, ultimately aligning everyone on the vision.

2. When pitching early ideas, pay attention to specific actions customers want to take, like asking about pricing or requesting to start a proof of value (POV). These are stronger indicators of interest that tell you they really want your product, versus general positive feedback.

3. Don’t rush to hire a sales team before you’ve closed some deals yourself. Closing contracts as founders not only builds your confidence but also equips you with the insights needed to effectively train your future sales hires. If you can’t sell the product yourself, it’s unlikely someone else will.

4. Be willing to take on new challenges, even if you don’t feel fully prepared. Raaz took on the CMO role despite having no marketing experience. It’s OK not to have all the answers; what’s important is your willingness to learn and adapt. Dive into the role, listen to experts, and figure things out as you go.

5. Unlike product management, where a misstep could haunt you forever, marketing allows for rapid experimentation. Use this to your advantage: launch that quirky campaign, try out a new format, and don’t be afraid to fail fast. If nobody likes that hilarious video you just posted, forget it and try again tomorrow.

Where to find Raaz Herzberg:

• X: https://x.com/raazherzberg

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raazh

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Raaz’s background

(02:54) Early challenges and Wiz’s essential pivot

(06:41) Finding product-market fit

(11:31) Lessons from early customer interactions

(14:54) The power in speaking up when you don’t understand something

(17:46) How Wiz pivoted from their initial idea

(23:52) Marketing and leadership insights

(28:05) Following the “heat” in your organization 

(30:22) How Raaz found success as CMO

(34:01) Common CMO mistakes

(36:23) Creating noise and standing out

(40:28) Embracing failure and taking risks

(44:53) The importance of clear communication

(48:32) The “dummy” explanation

(51:00) Building trust and company culture

(53:45) Contrarian corner

(56:34) Lightning round

Referenced:

• Wiz: https://www.wiz.io/

• An inside look at Deel’s unprecedented growth | Meltem Kuran Berkowitz (Head of Growth): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/an-inside-look-at-deels-unprecedented

• Velocity over everything: How Ramp became the fastest-growing SaaS startup of all time | Geoff Charles (VP of Product): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/velocity-over-everything-how-ramp

• Assaf Rappaport on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/assafrappaport/

• How LinkedIn became interesting: The inside story | Tomer Cohen (CPO at LinkedIn): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-linkedin-became-interesting-tomer-cohen

• Shardul Shah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shardul-shah-3589062/

• Doug Leone on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-leone-a2714/

• Jeff Horing on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhoring2009/

• RSA Conference: https://www.rsaconference.com/

• Microsoft acquires Adallom to advance identity and security in the cloud: https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2015/09/08/microsoft-acquires-adallom-to-advance-identity-and-security-in-the-cloud/

• Imposter syndrome: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/imposter-syndrome

• Careers at Wiz: https://www.wiz.io/careers

• Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business: https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Transforming-Hospitality-Business/dp/0060742763

• No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention: https://www.amazon.com/No-Rules-Netflix-Culture-Reinvention/dp/1984877860/

• Gong: https://www.gong.io/

• The Wire on HBO: https://www.hbo.com/the-wire

• Raaz’s pen holder recommendation: https://www.paper-republic.com/products/le-loop-penholder

Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.

Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.