Garry Tan on Founder

Never let your credentials be the only noteworthy thing about your pitch. Instead focus on: Product, users, market, usage, and why now? Namedropping will fool investors who have never built anything in their lives, but those aren’t the investors you want on your cap table.

748 likes14 repliesPosted Feb 28, 2019

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Viral score

Based on absolute engagement — the platform doesn’t expose follower counts here, so large accounts score higher.

From likes, comments.

Why it worked

Opens by telling you what not to do — harder to scroll past than advice.
Follows a clear Hook → Context → Landing shape, so the reader always knows where they are.
The opening line stands alone, so it reads completely before the post is expanded.
Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.
Opens on a negative, which reads as a warning and is harder to ignore than a claim.

The mechanics

Hook: Tells you what not to do
Structure: Hook → Context → Landing
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: punchy
Written for: Founders and early-stage teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

Founder Product

Post by Garry Tan on X