The One Percent Project- Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Resilience Episode 86: Private Communities Are the Future w/Utsav Somani
13 snips
Nov 8, 2025 
Utsav Somani, founder of Offline and early architect of AngelList in India, dives deep into the world of private communities for tech founders. He discusses the necessity of saying no to protect creative time, and how cold outreach can cut bias in networking. Utsav shares insights on building a supportive environment for entrepreneurs, contrasting Offline with traditional setups like YPO. He emphasizes the importance of in-person connections and the role of executive coaching in fostering genuine relationships. Expect a vision for the future of exclusive communities!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Protect Time With Polite Rejections
- Protect your time by saying no and asking permission to decline opportunities with a polite phrase.
- Refine your internal filter over time so you accept only high-value calls and projects.
Prioritize Well-Crafted Cold Outreach
- Cold outreach can outperform warm intros when you craft a crisp message that offers clear value.
- Use public contact info and creativity rather than relying only on biased warm introductions.
How AngelList India Was Born
- Utsav chased AngelList to India after discovering Naval and seeing product-market gaps for founders and angels.
- AngelList India solved messy cap tables and created syndicates so investors could monetize access and judgment.