Every time a founder emails me, “Schedule a meeting with my assistant,” I hear: “You’ve already lost me.”

Early-stage founders love to look busy. They copy big CEOs — assistants, auto-replies, scheduling links — thinking it signals success. It doesn’t. It signals distance. At seed stage, every message is a chance to build trust. Hide behind someone else’s inbox, and you kill momentum before it starts.

Investors read between the lines. Speed shows priority. Personal touch shows respect. When an assistant replies, the message flips: arrogance, poor focus, wrong mindset. Relationships die between “check with my assistant” and “let’s talk.”

You can’t outsource hunger. Assistants can’t read urgency or sense opportunity. Only you can.

Early delegation isn’t efficiency — it’s early elimination. Handle your own calendar. Build your own network.

You’re building a startup, not running a corporation. Be reachable. Be fast. Be human. what do you think?

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Get my free guide now Most founders chase fake traction — vanity metrics that look good but mean nothing. Learn what real traction looks like, how investors spot the difference, and how to prove what actually matters. ​ DOWNLOAD GUIDE

Startup Investment Series - Daily Early-Stage Review

Today's startup: PandionAI - Transforms satellite data into actionable insights using AI-driven Earth Observation to provide global timely alerts across diverse industries.
Website: pandionai.com​
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​Disclaimer: I haven't met the founders or done any due diligence - this came through my deal flow pipeline. Evaluating purely on public info.

Everything We Teach at YComb... Jul 20 · Brainwaves 10:18   ​

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