David Kaye’s Essays
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How to tell a story that sells your startup to investors
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How to tell a story that sells your startup to investors

An interview with Siqi Chen, veteran founder and 400x angel investor.
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Siqi Chen is co-founder and CEO of Runway, and a master startup storyteller who has successfully raised tens of millions of dollars from some of the biggest names in venture capital. This is an honest conversation about how investors really think and what they actually respond to - and why it’s different from most of the advice out there.

In this episode:

  • Why standard pitch templates are good for investors but bad for you 

  • The three-act structure Siqi uses to tell compelling startup stories

  • The four crucial questions you need to answer for investors

  • How to pick a good name

  • The risks of investing in "prestige track" founders

Full episode guide:

  • (00:24) Introduction of Siqi Chen and Runway

  • (01:15) Why traditional pitch templates don't work

  • (03:05) The five emotional stages of an effective pitch

  • (05:15) Three-act structure for startup storytelling

  • (10:01) Four key questions investors need answered

  • (12:33) What’s in a name?

  • (17:51) How to balance brand with performance marketing

  • (24:02) Lessons from a decade of angel investing

  • (27:25) How to evaluate founders

  • (35:35) Closing remarks and contact information

Where to find Siqi:

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Discussion about this podcast

David Kaye’s Essays
David Kaye's Interviews
Interviews with leaders from startups and the attention economy from a founder turned investor.
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