Week 8: The Demo
This isn't just about making a good pitch. How do you communicate with customers, investors, employees, etc? It's also our last week!
Pitching is probably the most over-coached thing in the startup world. There is a pattern to startup decks and that pattern is something you can emulate and get about 80% of what you need. There are even AI-built ones in 5 min based on a website. The newest tools will save you a load of time.
Then to get up on stage, you can time your pauses and deep breaths just like a TED talk. Practice, prepare, and go.
We are going to talk about what is behind those patterns so you don’t come across as someone simply emulating a pattern.
The reading: Bus Ticket Theory of Genius (read it)
If you have read no other essays in the past week, READ THIS ONE!
If I had to put the recipe for genius into one sentence, that might be it: to have a disinterested obsession with something that matters.
The folks we have had at lunch. All have had that obsession. My bet, almost all of you do too.
Podcast interview?
On Wednesday I would like to 5 min with you to talk about your product for a podcast I am trying out. Let me know if you are interested. It’s just a casual conversation about what you are building.
Lunch Speaker: Popy Dimoulas-Graham
Popy is a founder that started building her company in 2014 and currently defaults alive with no plans (right now) to raise capital. Her background is in public health and made the jump to tech in 2014 where the tool she has been building has evolved over the years.
Feedback, please!
The folks at Communitech sent out an NPS survey to which only ~5 of you replied. This makes it hard to know what works, what doesn’t, and what the over 45 of you who signed up are looking for!
Please take a few min to fill out this feedback and if you have a little more time, provide a recommendation.
Slides have been added to the course page.