Garry Tan on Founder

2nd most common mistake: Describing what a startup does, but failing to communicate why it’s a great product/service. New things must massively outperform incumbents just to have a chance at escaping obscurity. Step 1 - What is it? Step 2 - Is it great?

154 likes6 repliesPosted Sep 22, 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

Admits a failure or a cost, which buys trust that a polished post cannot.
Frames the idea around what the reader stands to lose, which is more motivating than gain.
Follows a clear Hook → Context → Invitation shape, so the reader always knows where they are.
Ends on a question, which is the most reliable way to turn readers into repliers.
Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.
Short sentences keep the pace up, so the reader never has to re-read a line.

The mechanics

Hook: Plain observation
Structure: Hook → Context → Invitation
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: punchy
Mechanisms: Vulnerability, Loss aversion
Written for: Founders and early-stage teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

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