Start with basically

Often when I meet with an early-stage startup founder, they don’t realize the perfect product description already exists.

Here’s what happens.

I’ll ask the founder what they are building, and then the founder will talk for around 60 seconds.

At the very end, without fail, they say, “So, basically, we ________.”

And in that blank is their answer, buried at the end of a long, passionate, well-intentioned but rambling speech where they tell me the origin story of the startup, their passion for the market, the background of the founders, and so on.

Start with “basically.”

It’s more interesting. It’s more memorable. It’s the way users will describe your product to other users.

Sure, there’s nothing “basic” about revolutionizing the consumer credit card experience or flipping the flower industry on its head, or giving superpowers to real estate entrepreneurs, but I just described all of those companies in a few words.

If you want to help people understand what you do, to improve your pitch, start with basically.