SlideChef

Xiang and I started SlideChef last February, and we celebrated our first full quarter in June. During our first few months, we learned a few lessons.

1. We believed SlideChef was our winning idea until a couple weeks ago when I sat on an entrepreneur panel, presented our idea, and got lackluster reactions from the impressive VC on the panel. This compelled us to talk all the way home about other…

Xiang and I were invited to present to the Stanford VLAB community about giving effective presentations. Here’s a recap:

Preparation

When most people prepare for a presentation, the first thing they do is open up Powerpoint or Keynote. This is the wrong move. Instead, we’ve learned that the best way to prepare is to journal on these questions:

What is the goal of…

Hint: it’s not opening up PowerPoint or Keynote. When you secure a speaking slot at a local business conference or finally get an appointment with that investor, step away from anything that resembles slides.

Slides are not the key to a great presentation. You are. To prepare, focus on your goals, audience takeaways, and how slides will complement your main message. 

Sit down, and journal. What…

So, you’ve put yourself through sales and recruited your Maverick or Journeyman, now let’s talk about different types of work ethics that will help you understand how each individual on your sales team works. There are five types of profiles that I recognize a lot in sales teams – Grinders, Cultivators, the Lone Wolf, Experts, and Believers. 

  The Grinder - As their name implies, they grind.…