Startup Hustle

Prompt Prototyping, AI Vibes, and the New Rules of Product Management

Product management is being rewritten in real time, and AI is doing the editing.Matt sits down with Jerel Velarde, product manager at Full Scale Ventures, to discuss how AI is reshaping the relationship between PMs and engineering. We dive into what Jerel calls prompt prototyping, how expectations for product velocity have changed, and why the best PMs today are blending design, strategy, and code—all while staying laser-focused on validation over output.If you're a founder, CTO, or product leader trying to navigate the new frontier of product development, this one's for you.Key Discussion PointsIs “Product Manager” even the right title anymore?The new definition of PM: focused on outcomes, not artifactsHow PMs are using AI to validate fasterHow to lead product in a startup vs. a scale-upHow to think about MVPs when AI can build anythingResources & LinksConnect with Jerel on LinkedInProduct Driven - Get the BookSubscribe to the Product Driven NewsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025Subscribe to the Global Talent Sprint

Why Teams Lose Their Way at Scale with Randy Silver

Matt is joined by product and leadership consultant Randy Silver to unpack one of the most frustrating problems in product organizations: everyone knows where they want to go, but no one knows how to actually get there.Together they explore what causes this breakdown in execution, how companies drift from product strategy to dysfunction, and what strong leadership really looks like at scale.Key Discussion PointsWhy strategy is easy—execution is the problemWhy in-shitification happensThe three organizational dysfunctions Randy sees mostWhy autonomy without alignment failsThe real root of dysfunction: unclear product strategyWhat leaders can do right now to fix the messResources & LinksRandy Silver’s consulting work https://randysilver.comFollow Randy on LinkedIn Randy SilverGood Strategy Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt Link to BookSubscribe to the Product Driven Newsletter: https://productdriven.com/newsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guide

How AI Is Really Impacting Developer Experience and the Real Productivity Problem with Laura Tacho

In this episode, Matt is joined by Laura Tacho, CTO at DX — one of the leading voices in developer experience research and tooling. Together, they unpack how AI is really affecting software development teams, why developer experience has a “marketing problem,” and why organizational friction — not technology — is the biggest productivity killer.If you’ve been wondering whether AI is living up to the hype in engineering teams, this conversation will give you the data, the reality, and the leadership takeaways you can act on today.Key Discussion Points[00:48] – What “Developer Experience” Really Means[02:55] – The Real Sources of Developer Friction[03:44] – Core Developer Experience Problems (Pre- and Post-AI)[05:46] – Clarity as a Competitive Advantage[07:25] – The Mistake of “Shit Shielding”[08:18] – How AI Raises the Stakes for Product Thinking[10:00] – The 10x Developer Myth’s Real Origin[11:30] – Measuring Developer Experience with the DX Index[14:00] – The Role of Leadership in Removing FrictionResources & Links DX – Research and tools for improving developer experience: https://getdx.com/Developer Experience Index https://getdx.com/dxi-reportingSubscribe to the Product Driven Newsletter: https://productdriven.com/newsletterWhat Smart CTOs Are Doing Differently With Offshore Teams in 2025: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guide

Why We Still Need Software Engineers in the Age of AI with Brian Jenney

AI can scaffold an app in seconds, but can it refactor that thousand-line React file when the first bug hits production? In this episode, I sit down with Brian Jenney software engineer and program owner of the coding bootcamp Parsity, to draw a hard line between “code that runs” and “code that lasts.” From mentoring career-switchers to stress-testing AI in real-world pipelines, Brian shares why craftsmanship and product judgment still beat copy-paste prompts.🔗 Essential Links (Start Here!):Full Episodes: https://product-driven.captivate.fm/episodesConnect with Matt Watson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonkc/Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://newsletter.productdriven.com/Powered by Full Scale: https://fullscale.io/GET THE PRODUCT DRIVEN BOOK: https://productdriven.com/bookConnect with Brian on LinkedIn :https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianjenney/Check out Parsity here: https://www.parsity.io/Key Discussion Points:“You have to be smarter than the AI.” Why blindly shipping generated code is the fastest way to paint yourself into a technical-debt cornerThe hidden risk of non-deterministic models—like failing a simple “greater-than” check in production testsA training rule of thumb: no AI for your first months of study, then use it only to reinforce fundamentals—not replace themThe “house-of-cards” analogy for code quality and why maintainability still matters when AI writes the first draftHow Parsity’s tight-knit model turns plumbers, teachers, and even doctors into disciplined, product-minded engineers

Simple Systems that Let CTOs Delegate Ownership—and Still Sleep at Night with Brittany Rastsmith

If you’re running a startup, chances are you’re the bottleneck. Brittany Rastsmith joins Product Driven to talk through why founders constantly end up in this trap and how to escape it. She works with early-stage companies through her consulting firm, Bloom Remote, and she's seen it all. We get into how to create clarity, visibility, and accountability across your team so you’re not stuck answering every question, solving every problem, or staying up all night wondering if anything is getting done. If you want your team to take ownership and drive outcomes—not just check boxes—this episode is for you.[01:00] - Why being the bottleneck it's a stage [02:30] - Choose your hard: micromanage or build trust [07:30] - How to measure what matters[10:30] - Delegating doesn't work if you dump chaos [14:30] - Explain your thinking if you want your team to carry it out [16:00] - The power of decision logs and written rationale [19:45] - Why psychological safety is key to team ownership [21:30] - Rubber-stamping is the death of progress [24:00] - Why most managers are untrained (and why that matters) [28:00] - Productivity vs. busyness: where your team might be stuck [29:15] - Inputs vs. outcomes: how to tell what's actually broken [31:05] - Where to find Brittany and learn more about Bloom RemoteLinks & Resources:Brittany Rastsmith on LinkedIn: Bloom RemoteGet the Book: https://mybook.to/productdrivenNewsletter: productdriven.comConnect with Matt: https://linkedin.com/in/mattwatsonGet the Offshore Hiring Guide: https://hirefullscale.com/offshore-hiring-guide