September Lessons

Business:

• Be critical about your product and open about others. Usually, it’s the other way around.
• Sometimes all people want is to be appreciated. An investor had 1 request after he invested a large amount. He said, “just give me a business card with my name on it”
• Big companies promise the world, then disappear. Be cautious
• You can’t fix the world, so pick a problem and bunker down
• In most industries and markets, innovation and new methods of doing old things is seen as a positive force. But in healthcare things are backward and upside down. Disruption is not a good word to use.

Networking:

• When networking in a group setting be patient. Listen to everyone else share their story, stay quiet and engaged. Share only when someone asks about you. You will create this weird level of curiosity in the eyes of everyone else.
• If you start talking to a group of people and you know one of them but they don’t know you, stay cool. Don’t say you know them but talk in a way that peaks their interest.

Pitching:

• Don’t just say you have smart people working for you say what value they bring to the project!
• Never memorize a script! Always write a book and shrink to 3 bullet points. Then have a book ready and talk about the first paragraph if needed but not anymore
• Never sit for an investor pitch

Quotes I heard:

• Lack of focus is a great way of doing a lot of cool things but no great things.
• Customers don’t buy products. They buy a beautiful future. Succes belongs to those who manage to paint a clear, colorful future for their customers and then integrate their products and services into it.
• Customers will only buy on their own terms. Your role is to inspire. Educate, excite, and amaze so they will want to be a part of your story. Be the chief inspirer!