Vijay Chattha, CEO and founder of VSC, shares insights from over 20 years in PR and startup strategy. He discusses how startups are adapting to market shifts and embracing vulnerability in storytelling. Chattha highlights the nuances of pitching to VCs versus journalists and delves into the conflicts between media coverage goals and startup aspirations. He reflects on the impact of the #MeToo movement on leadership accountability and the evolving transparency of the tech ecosystem. Expect quick-fire insights, including his biggest pet peeve with journalists!
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Origin Story
Vijay Chattha's early entrepreneurial experience with Philly Tonight influenced his career in startup comms.
He realized his strength in communication and storytelling while seeking investors, including Elon Musk.
insights INSIGHT
Tech PR Evolution
Tech PR has evolved from an elitist practice in the late 90s to a period of journalist distrust post-dot-com crash.
The rise of mobile startups and focus on revenue created a shift towards more sober metrics and storytelling.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Audience-Specific Communication
Tailor your communication style to your audience. Pitch investors with big visions and disruptions, but approach media with transparency and authenticity.
Speak to journalists like a critical family member to ensure your message resonates with their jaded perspective.
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Hello and welcome back to Equity, a podcast about the business of startups, where we unpack the numbers and nuance behind the headlines.
This is our Wednesday show, where we niche down to a single person, think about their work and unpack the rest. This week, Natasha interviewed Vijay Chattha, a startup comms leader who has spent over 20 years in the storytelling world. Chattha is the CEO and founder of VSC and founding partner of VSC Ventures, a $21 million investment vehicle to back startups.
Here's what we spoke about:
How his clients are reacting to the downturn in terms of their openness, vulnerability, and general hunger to tell their story
The difference between pitching a VC and pitching a journalist (lol)
How startup's goal with media coverage can sometimes inherently clash with the media's goal to cover a startup (and why we disagree on the importance of disclosing valuations)
The best framework for the different types of media form out there, from Twitter to billboards to earned media.
How the #MeToo movement impacted leadership styles and changed accountability for the better
If we're getting closer to a more transparent ecosystem, or more opaque one
And of course, we end with a lightning round - including but not limited to Chattha's biggest pet peeve with journalists.
Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.
Equity