Start-Up Success: Sing Out Louise, Sing Out!
- Mama Rose, Gypsy. (The classic movie, with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood…)
I just got back from the TVC Equity Symposium (I’m one of the advisors this year) where some very smart entrepreneurs made some very professional Powerpoint presentations to a room full of potential investors. Nicely formatted text bullets; hands safely at the sides; minimal moving (Must. Stay. Behind. Podium. At All Times.); doing their best to be serious yet show just the right (small) amount of personality. (After all, as another advisor said during a dry run of the presenters, “Humpf, this is business. We don’t want “peppy.”)
Then, we go to lunch where the speaker, Tim Draper of Draper Fisher Jurvetson (just a teeny-tiny VC fund; that’s him to the right) got up and proceeded to be ever so “peppy.” His Powerpoint - um - wasn’t great; he’s not the most polished speaker…but he is himself. Lots of energy, arm-waving, moving around, enthusiasm and definite opinions. As a close he sang The Riskmaster (and encouraged us to sing along.) He even played air guitar. His firm is looking for entrepreneurs who will surprise him and that want to change the world. Somehow, I’d bet he isn’t too surprised by nice, safe “professional” powerpoint presentations. I’m sure some others in the audience thought he was totally nuts and wasting our time. (I told him afterwards he was crazy, but in a good way.)
Here’s the thing - if you want to get the attention of a investor like Tim (and your market) - you can’t be afraid to sing out! Some will love it; others will hate it, but it’s far better than being in the nice, safe middle. And, a hell of a lot more fun! (Just ask Tim.)
Related Posts:
Start-Up Success: What do you wanta be when you grow up?
Start-Up Suicide: Fear of Heights
Start-Up Suicide: “Just Fine” Competitive Positioning
Start-Up Success: People Before Plan
Start-Up Success: Look Stupid. Be Silly!
Start-Up Suicide: Free Business Plan Help.
Start-Up Suicide: Mine is Bigger than Yours.
Can You Learn to Be an Entrepreneur?
(Tim also told me, when I asked if he blogged, that he was too busy and “besides, 70% of blogs are read by only one person.” I told him (hmmmfff) that FIVE people read mine. So, you five, pitch right in and comment, if you’d like. ;-0)
If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so. It may take a bit to show up since I hate making people type in little letters (I can’t read most of them myself) - so I moderate all comments. Feel free to disagree - debate is healthy. However, I don’t allow anonymous comments (If you can say it, you should own it) and I’ve blacklisted the worst obscenities, including the “f” word, as part of the troll wall.
Tags:entrepreneur, entrepreneur sanity check, start-ups, VCs, Tim Draper
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May 11th, 2007 at 7:04 am
I’m #1 and you’re top in my books!
It never ceases to amaze me that business think they can sell to VC’s with those dry powerpoints. Enthusiasm is contagious, and once you’ve infected the VCs, how can you lose?
May 11th, 2007 at 10:30 am
While I agree that it’s hard to build a widely-read blog (they just seem to happen to some people) I also can’t imagine that blogs are pointless.
Yes, a blog can be pretentious and not meet the needs of the potential audience, but when a real conversation is started, real connections are also made.
Through my own blog I’ve connected several people who would have never met otherwise. I’ve also made connections to people who adore what I write. How do I know? They tell me. In fact, when I’ve been discouraged and ready to quit blogging, those same folks remind me how much they look forward to reading what I have to say.
Finally, blogging has required me to improve my writing and make my own thinking more clear (or clearer? Hmmm…) I’ve turned into a better thinker and I’ve learned how to search the internet more effectively.
Maybe blogging will never make me Bill Gates money. Heck, I might not ever even see half the cash that Seth Godin churns out of his own efforts. But I’ve already been rewarded for my efforts. And the rewards keep coming.
So keep blogging. Claim the rewards. You’re worth it!
(P.S. - I also think “The Secret” is misleading. While I agree with some of the basic principles, I also know that no matter how many times my niece jumps up and down yelling “I AM a princess!” she isn’t going to “poof!” turn into one.)
May 11th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
I guess my question would be: DO entrepreneurs sell their ideas to VCs by using those dry powerpoints? You kind of have to work with your audience and if your audience is composed of a room full of raisins, then I guess they’d be uncomfortable with a livelier presentation.
I mean, to me, it would be a bit boring — sort of reminds me of how schools take really interesting stuff like history and science and make it deadly dull for the school kids — but I’m not one of those stuffy VCs.
(I guess, with FIVE readers, you’re top echelon, huh, Mary?
)
May 21st, 2007 at 8:47 pm
I’m in the process of presenting to potential investors (some VCs, some angels) and I do my absolute best to avoid the powerpoint and just talk and go with their questions.
I’m more of a Seth Godin powerpoint fan anyway - my slides only have about 5 words on them each - so I always laugh when people want a copy of my presentation. I am going to start giving them a blank piece of paper and a pencil
Laura
July 11th, 2007 at 7:37 am
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