Dave Schappell

“Structure Win-Win Deals Before you can present a win-win deal, you must understand it. Sketch out the fundamental value exchange for each party. The customer is hiring you to solve certain problems and achieve value. That is the foundation of your working together. Like any foundation, it needs to be strong and will be tested over time. Sometimes, when you’re seemingly down a dead end, reverting to the first principles will illuminate another way forward.”
― Rags Gupta, One to Ten: Finding Your Way from Startup to Scaleup

“Before you can present a win-win deal, you must understand it. Sketch out the fundamental value exchange for each party. The customer is hiring you to solve certain problems and achieve value. That is the foundation of your working together. Like any foundation, it needs to be strong and will be tested over time. Sometimes, when you’re seemingly down a dead end, reverting to the first principles will illuminate another way forward.”
― Rags Gupta, One to Ten: Finding Your Way from Startup to Scaleup

“Explicitly ask for feedback. Have the customer play the value back to you. Receiving candid feedback is paramount when pitching. You won’t know what went right, or more importantly, wrong, unless you hear directly from the customer. One effective tactic, toward the end of the meeting, is to ask the customer for their impressions. I like to say, “In the final minutes, I’d love to zoom out a level and get your take on what you’ve seen or heard and how it matches your expectations.” If they answer with polite platitudes, probe further: “Are there specific areas that resonated for you and also ones that you have concern about that we ought to know?”
― Rags Gupta, One to Ten: Finding Your Way from Startup to Scaleup

“First-time founders mistakenly ascribe too much power to their prospects. This manifests in sharing too much information, demos, and access to yourself without getting enough in return. Don’t make this mistake. Remember, the customer has big problems that you, with your insight, team, and technology, are uniquely suited to solve. The companies you’re selling to are worried about being disrupted from below or having their direct competitors steal a march on them. They need innovation, which you represent, to surpass the competition and prevent disruption.”
― Rags Gupta, One to Ten: Finding Your Way from Startup to Scaleup