E1053: Ask Jason! Catching‌ ‌an‌ ‌investor’s‌ ‌eye‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌cold‌ ‌email‌, what founders/investors often overlook during pitches, COVID’s impact on Jason’s deal flow, domain name hacks & more!

May 5, 2020

Discover what founders and investors often miss in pitches and how to craft captivating cold emails. Dive into strategies for effective customer research and learn the key traits of successful founders. The impact of COVID-19 on deal flow sheds light on adapting in challenging times. Explore domain name hacks and the importance of a startup’s name in branding. Plus, insights on improving customer retention and the debate between freemium models versus limited-time offers!

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ADVICE

Focus on Customers

Focus on describing your customers in detail when pitching.
Explain who they are, why they use your product, and how they solved the problem before.

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ANECDOTE

Customer Example

Jason illustrates the importance of showcasing customers with an example.
He describes how to present three diverse customer profiles for a hypothetical YouTube-like platform.

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ADVICE

Show, Don't Tell

Show, don't just tell, during market research.
Demonstrate your product's value by improving existing work of potential clients, like analyzing their blog posts.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Crafting Compelling Customer Narratives

04:00 • 4min

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Empowering Founders: Insights on Investment and Market Research

08:02 • 8min

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Mastering Focus and Skills in Entrepreneurship

15:41 • 8min

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Resilience and Innovation: Lessons from Icons and Modern Startups

23:46 • 4min

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Navigating Venture Capital in 2020

27:37 • 8min

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Adapting Strategies in a Changing Market

35:09 • 6min

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Navigating Funding Challenges and Product Strategies for Startups

The Lean Startup introduces a revolutionary approach to building and scaling businesses, emphasizing continuous innovation, customer feedback, and scientific experimentation. Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. The book advocates for 'validated learning,' rapid experimentation, and the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop to shorten product development cycles and measure actual progress. It also stresses the importance of pivoting or persevering based on data and customer needs, making it an essential read for anyone involved in starting or growing a business.

Creativity, Inc.

Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration

Amy Wallace

Ed Catmull

Ed Catmull and Edwin E. Catmull and Amy Wallace

In this book, Ed Catmull shares insights on how to build and maintain a creative culture within an organization. Drawing from his experiences at Pixar, Catmull discusses the importance of open communication, risk-taking, and protecting the creative process. The book includes candid discussions, anecdotes about Pixar's film development, and lessons on managing innovation and creativity. It emphasizes the need for a nurturing work environment and the importance of storytelling in business.

The Ride of a Lifetime

Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Robert Iger

In 'The Ride of a Lifetime,' Robert Iger shares his experiences and the lessons he learned during his 15 years as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. The book covers his early career, his rise to the CEO position, and his strategic decisions that transformed Disney into a global media giant. Iger discusses key acquisitions like Pixar, Marvel, and 21st Century Fox, and emphasizes the importance of leadership principles such as optimism, courage, decisiveness, fairness, and integrity. He also reflects on his relationships with influential figures like Steve Jobs and George Lucas, and how emotional intelligence played a crucial role in his business dealings. The book provides insights into Iger's vision for Disney, which included a focus on high-quality branded content, embracing technology, and expanding globally.

Good to Great

Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Jim Collins

In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.

Who is Mike Ovitz?

Mike Ovitz

This book is a candid and insightful account of Mike Ovitz's life, from his early days as a tour guide at Universal Studios to his role as a powerful agent and later as President of The Walt Disney Company. It chronicles his journey from a middle-class kid in Encino to becoming a dominant figure in Hollywood, shaping the careers of hundreds of A-list entertainers, directors, and writers. The book also explores the personal consequences of his deals and his impact on the entertainment industry.

Zero to One

Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

Peter Thiel

In 'Zero to One,' Peter Thiel argues that true innovation comes from creating something entirely new, going from 'zero to one,' rather than incrementally improving existing ideas. He emphasizes the importance of vertical progress through technology and the benefits of monopoly in driving innovation. Thiel also discusses the need for long-term planning, the importance of finding the right co-founders, and the power law in startup success. The book challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to think critically and aim big to build the future.

Shoe Dog

Phil Knight

Shoe Dog is a memoir that chronicles the journey of Phil Knight as he builds Nike from its humble beginnings as Blue Ribbon Sports. The book is a personal and detailed account of Knight's experiences, from his early days selling Japanese running shoes out of the trunk of his car to the global brand Nike is today. It highlights his relentless work ethic, the challenges he faced, and the key relationships with his partners and employees that were crucial to the company's success. The memoir also touches on Knight's personal life, including his family and the emotional struggles he encountered along the way.

0:01 Jason intros today's questions!
2:18 Kate asks what founders & investors often overlook while pitching/being pitched, and what they should focus more closely on
6:58 Daniel asks about Jason's next book
8:59 Avery asks for advice on performing customer research
14:27 Dan asks what common traits Jason sees in the best founders and tangible steps to gain these traits
19:55 Shahpar asks what kind of cold emails catch Jason's eyes
22:10 Amy asks for the top 5 books Jason would recommend to an aspiring founder
27:18 Andrew asks Jason how his deal flow has been impacted by COVID-19
30:27 Dharma asks about the importance of a startups name/domain name and any hacks getting a better domain name
34:54 Pedro asks how to improve customer retention when acquisition goes down
39:57 Ivan asks how Jason is "sizing up" founders without meeting them in person
42:10 Gerry asks whether to offer a freemium version of a product OR to offer the full product free for a limited window before looking to convert
46:51 Naiem asks whether to push new products searching for product-market fit OR focus on improving existing products

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