Slow Ventures Hosts Etiquette School for Startup Founders.

4 hours ago7 min read

In a move that perfectly captures the evolving landscape of modern entrepreneurship, Slow Ventures recently hosted a three-hour 'Etiquette Finishing School' for startup founders, a session that went far beyond the basics of the perfect handshake and public speaking to address a fundamental gap in the tech playbook. For too long, the archetype of the brilliant but socially awkward founder has been romanticized, a trope that venture capital is now actively working to dismantle.This isn't about teaching people which fork to use at a Michelin-starred dinner; it's a strategic investment in what I call 'social capital ROI. ' Think of it this way: you can have the most disruptive SaaS platform since Salesforce, but if you can't command a room during a Series A pitch, articulate your vision with conviction to a journalist, or build genuine rapport with a potential enterprise client over a coffee, you're leaving millions in valuation on the table.The curriculum, covering office decorum and the nuanced art of professional interaction, is a direct response to the high-stakes environments these founders navigate daily—from navigating the subtle power dynamics of a board meeting to representing their company at a global tech summit. It’s the kind of practical, no-nonsense skill-building I champion, akin to understanding your burn rate or mastering your cap table.Just as you wouldn't launch a product without A/B testing, why would you send a founder into the world without stress-testing their interpersonal skills? The feedback from attendees reportedly highlighted a newfound confidence, a crucial asset when you're trying to secure a term sheet from a skeptical partner at Sequoia or negotiate a strategic partnership with a Fortune 500 CEO. This initiative by Slow Ventures signals a maturation of the startup ecosystem, recognizing that sustainable success is built not just on code and market fit, but on the soft skills that build trust, foster loyalty, and ultimately, close the deal. In the high-velocity world of startups, where first impressions can make or break a funding round, this finishing school is less an optional extra and more a core component of a founder's operational toolkit, as essential as a solid financial model and a clear path to profitability.

#Slow Ventures

#etiquette school

#founders

#business skills

#featured

#venture capital

#startup culture

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