These are the slides from a Melbourne Accelerator Program Master Class on Startup Soft Skills that I did in April 2014. Copy to market the Master Class below is below: While a successful business needs technically competent founders, many opportunities will also come in the form of interpersonal connections. This Master Class will teach you the essentials of business etiquette in the context of the startup ecosystem. Topics covered will include how to not alienate investors, how to maximise positive exposure for your business and how to grow a valuable network.

1. Startup Soft Skills
Rohan Workman
@Roh_Workman
April 2014

2. Contents

3. What are soft skills?
Soft skills + hard skills =

4. Why are soft skills important?
• Do you want customers, investors, advisors or employees?
• Do you have a brand?
• Do you have a good reputation? (Do you have a reputation?!)
• What is your emotional bank balance – refer Stephen Covey
• First impressions count!
• What are you doing now that makes you look bad?

5. Why are soft skills important?
• These are relationships not transactions / commodities
• Relationships (should) last beyond one interaction, company
• Real relationships are mutually beneficial and are long lasting

6. Why are soft skills important?
“Funding is not a transaction, it is a
relationship”
Stuart Richardson
Adventure Capital

7. What you’ll learn?
• How to come across like a professional
• How to avoid VERY simple mistakes that create friction
• What to do prior to approaching somebody for sales,
mentoring, investment, etc
• Practical tips for interactions

8. Common Sense
“Common sense is not so
common”
Voltaire
1694 - 1778

9. Bad email example

10. Unrealistic expectations

11. Before emailing
• Read their website
• Read their website

12. Before emailing

13. Before emailing

14. Before emailing
Before you ignore this advice and do it anyway, please read this.

15. Before emailing
• Can you articulate your idea in layman’s terms?
• Are YOU eligible to receive investment from THEM?
– Do they have an investment mandate?
– Do they only invest at a certain stage?
– Do they only invest in companies in a certain region?
– Do they only invest in companies connected to a University?
• Did YOU pass this test???
• Or are YOU going to waste their time and yours?

16. Before emailing
• Do you understand your audience?
• How do you fit in?
• Are you ready?
• You are ready

17. The Email

18. • If you are at the right stage to meet them…
• Research their team:
– About Us / Team page
– Google
– Linkedin
– Their email address
• Do you know somebody in common?
The Email

19. The Email
• Find a person to email if you can
• Ensure you spell their name correctly

20. The Email
• Do not email blast
• Be polite
• Don’t be arrogant
• Humility + confidence is a good recipe
• An email is a proxy for the person (remember first impressions)

21. The Email
• Dot point is golden
• Propose at least two times
– Thursday 3 April at 10.00am
– Friday 4 April at 11.30am
• Offer to send a calendar invitation
• Figure out how to work your calendar
• Hint: check your time zone

22. The Email

23. The Meeting

24. The Meeting
• Don’t turn up late
• Shake hands with everyone
• Don’t get the name wrong
• Include everyone in the meeting – eye contact!
• Don’t make up anything on the spot. There are two scenarios:
– You don’t know and you don’t know how to find out
– You don’t know but you can find out

25. The Meeting
• It’s ok not to know something!
• Pay for the coffee
• Travel to them

26. After the meeting
• Follow up email
• If something was agreed then deliver it

27. Introductions
• Happen all the time
• An introduction IS NOT A SERVICE
• An introduction is PERSONAL VALIDATION of the
person you’re introducing
• Common sense
• Blackbird example

28. Introductions
When asking for an introduction to somebody:
•Can the person you’re asking make that introduction for you?
•Can they vouch for you?
•Have you read their website?
•It is ok to ask for help or advice!

29. Introductions
• Have you sent them an email which they can forward to that
person introducing yourself and why you’d like to meet them?
• MAKE IT EASY FOR THEM!
• Report back

30. Introductions
When making an introduction:
•Can you vouch for the person who wants / benefits from the intro?
•Are you willing to stake your reputation on them?
•Double opt-in
•MAP to VC

31. Introductions
Thanks for the intro Zezan (now in bcc).
Hi David – great to meet you over email. As Zezan mentioned, I do blah, blah
blah and would welcome the opportunity to shout you a coffee at your
convenience and chat about blah, blah, blah.
How are you placed for either of:
•Time A
•Time B
Feel free to suggest an alternative if the above don’t work. Look forward to
meeting in person!
Cheers
Rohan

32. Collaboration
When approaching mentors / anybody:
•You want to collaborate?
•Don’t expect them to do your thinking

33. Social Media
• Do you accept Facebook friend requests from strangers?
• Do you accept Linkedin requests from strangers?
• You can but tailor the message, describe opportunity
• Be careful with Facebook
• Twitter
• On to NDAs

34. NDAs
“Don’t ask any potential investor to sign a nondisclosure agreement
(NDA), because asking them to do so will make you look clueless.”
Guy Kawasaki

35. NDAs
• Have to read / agree to NDA?
• Keep track of all NDAs signed?
• Similar deals
• Ideas are (pretty much) worthless
• Technological innovation has value
• Afraid they’re going to steal your idea?
• Mark Suster link

36. Bridges

37. Hints

38. What we want
• Attend events registered
• Not a zero sum game
• Pay it forward
• UniMelb entrepreneurs to be the MOST charismatic
• Spread the word

39. Questions?