This Week in Startups E1030: News Roundtable! Zapier CEO Wade Foster & Early-Stage Investor Monique Woodard on Tech Journalists vs. Founders/VCs, Twitter’s fake news detection, Kickstarter union, Blue Apron plummeting, Lambda School controversy & more!
Feb 22, 2020
Wade Foster, CEO of Zapier, and Monique Woodard, an early-stage investor, dive into a range of pressing tech topics. They tackle the tension between tech journalists and founders, discussing how alternative media like podcasts empower voices. The duo also explores Kickstarter's unionization efforts, the challenges faced by Blue Apron following its plummet, and Lambda School's controversial reputation. Additionally, they analyze how Twitter's methods for combatting fake news might evolve, and the significance of the aging demographic in startup innovation.
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Black Twitter's Impact
Black Twitter's influence is significant, driving trending topics and shaping Twitter's evolution. Jason Calacanis shared an inside story about how Black Twitter impacted Twitter's trending algorithm.
Zapier's Success
Zapier, with minimal investment ($1M), reached $50M ARR through bootstrapping and staying lean. They burned a maximum of $20k/month and have been profitable since 2014.
Founder's PR Strategy
- Never talk to journalists on the phone.
- Use email and publish answers on your blog.