Garry Tan on Founder

When Ben Horowitz asks you who is CEO, you should have probably picked one before you stepped foot on a Monday morning partner meeting at A16z. Don't make my 2010-era founder mistake. More importantly, know thyself: Are you the one who needs to to fix it if everything breaks?

268 likes13 repliesPosted Oct 9, 2020

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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

Contradicts something the audience already believes, which stops the scroll.
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.
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.

The mechanics

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

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

Founder Lessons

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