Writing

People read nonfiction to learn and to feel. My framework for ensuring a blog post accomplishes both is to start with a first draft that focuses on "novel" ideas.

A novel idea is one that's not just new to the reader, but also significant and not easily intuited. Think of it as new and worthwhile . I've identified five categories:

• Counter-intuitive —

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Going direct means retaining control over your message by speaking directly to your audience instead of depending on middlemen. This is mandatory for mission-driven founders.

Startups might try to mitigate perceived reputation risk by overly scripting or muzzling their founders. That is thinking about it backwards. The much greater risk lies in stifling a founder’s originality, muting their passion, and depriving the company of its most powerful evangelist. The risks of being bland, boring, or business as usual far outw... See more

To start, simply write down what unique thing you do, why it matters, and why you’re the only team who could get it done. It needs to be human (no corpo jargon), assertive (no hedging or waffling), and specific (no hand-waving abstractions).

I can’t emphasize enough that valid goals for a mission-driven startup do not include things like being the coolest kid at the conference or winning the Hottest Startup trophy from TechCrunch. In fact, those would be warning signs that you’re spending time on the wrong things.

Comms teams are important and necessary, but not sufficient. Mission-driven startups need founder-led comms. Only a founder can be the chief evangelist for their company. By assuming that responsibility and using that power, you can change narratives, change minds, and change the course of history.

Going direct will help you with both defense and offense. On defense, having a direct line to your audience is a hedge against being attacked. When you have your own platform, you don’t have to depend on anyone else and won’t be left helpless if the world turns on you.

On offense, if you’re doing something unprecedented and original, you’ll be the b... See more