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Landon Howell
Landon Howell
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Landon Howell
Landon Howell
👋 hey
ask for help
stuff
tools
now
👋 hey
ask for help
stuff
tools
now
Featured
What are the different roles in a VC Firm?
What are the different roles in a VC Firm?

Here is the map of who does what.

5 Minute Startup Pitch Tips
5 Minute Startup Pitch Tips

One founder. One story. Five minutes. Good luck.

Remote work is a disaster for young professionals
Remote work is a disaster for young professionals

The shortcut to a better career is to sit near someone great.

All the features missing from the first iPhone
All the features missing from the first iPhone

The most important product of the last 20 years—the iPhone—launched wildly imperfectly.

Startups should quit more often
Startups should quit more often

Pivoting is just quitting in a hoodie.

Salespeople: Stop chasing dead deals
Salespeople: Stop chasing dead deals

That “just checking in” note? It’s annoying. That “bumping this up” message? It’s noise.

How to send a sales ‘Goodbye’ email
How to send a sales ‘Goodbye’ email

Ghosting by a sales prospect isn’t rejection. It’s indecision, misalignment, or deprioritization. But it is a signal.

Startups are built by imperfectionists
Startups are built by imperfectionists

If your startup isn’t growing, it’s dying. Perfectionists slow growth.

Assume your startup will die
Assume your startup will die

The most blunt advice I can give you is to assume your startup will die, then fight relentlessly to keep it alive.

Startup Failure Rates in 2025
Startup Failure Rates in 2025

Startups are hard. The data proves it.

The importance of building a compounding company
The importance of building a compounding company

Compound companies are those that integrate multiple products into a cohesive, interconnected suite.

Your brand is your customer’s reaction to your emails
Your brand is your customer’s reaction to your emails

Your brand isn’t your logo. It’s not your font, your color scheme, or the clever subject line you wrote last week.

Polarizing startup ideas are great
Polarizing startup ideas are great

Polarizing startup ideas tend to be the ones that provide outsized results.

Should startups do crowdfunding? No.
Should startups do crowdfunding? No.

Yes, you can crowdfund and still build a successful company, but not a high-growth, venture-scale startup.

Startup meeting template
Startup meeting template

It must be completed and attached to the meeting invite before anyone accepts the meeting invite.

Universal truths make bad startup ideas
Universal truths make bad startup ideas

…unless you have a unique insight or an unfair advantage.

How to win a startup pitch competition
How to win a startup pitch competition

Here's the template for a 5 Minute Pitch.

It's okay to hack things together
It's okay to hack things together

Startups without existential urgency don't win.

If your product is working, you'll know.
If your product is working, you'll know.

I wish someone had told me this when I built my first product.

Work-life balance is in the eye of the beholder
Work-life balance is in the eye of the beholder

Some would scoff and decry "hustle culture," but work-life balance looks different for everyone, depending on their values, priorities, and personal circumstances.

“3 Whats” Framework
“3 Whats” Framework

This framework ensures clear understanding, impact assessment, and proactive next steps.

The biggest inhibitor of progress is perfectionism
The biggest inhibitor of progress is perfectionism

"We need to make a few more changes!" No, you don't.

Build a brand that speaks clearly
Build a brand that speaks clearly

Without knowing where I am, you know exactly where I am.

Navigating the new startup fundraising landscape
Navigating the new startup fundraising landscape

If you are fundraising or thinking about fundraising for your startup, you need to read this report.

Startup salaries are up
Startup salaries are up

The average salary in startups has increased by 5% year-over-year.

When is the best month to fundraise at a startup?
When is the best month to fundraise at a startup?

Fundraising for your startup? There's seasonality in Venture Capital.

I’m a convert to the church of async voice
I’m a convert to the church of async voice

Riff helped me have critical conversations personally during my morning and evening commutes.

My interview with VoyageATL
My interview with VoyageATL

“…and then used my dad’s credit card (with permission, I think?)…”

Would you sell your startup today for $30M?
Would you sell your startup today for $30M?

That’s the question Techstars Managing Director Katie Rae would ask us every week.

Startup down rounds hit 5-year high
Startup down rounds hit 5-year high

Q1 2024: 1,064 total rounds and $16.3B in cash raised.

Read more notes…

Who has the time to check websites anymore?

I’ll send you a free weekly email with links to new posts on startups, tech, and business.

Thanks. I owe you a donut next time I see you.

Links of note…
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📕  resources

© 2025 Landon Howell

The views expressed here are my own and do not constitute financial advice.
They do not reflect the views of my current or previous employers, or any organizations with which I mentor or advise.