My First Million
The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.
Clearly communicate your competitive advantage in a way investors immediately understand
Any founder who needs to explain how they're different from existing solutions
1 hour to research competitors and formulate differencesWhat Success Looks Like
Investor finishes reading and thinks 'ah, I see exactly how this is different and why that difference matters'
Steps to Execute
List all current ways people solve your problem
Identify the core approach most competitors use
Articulate your fundamentally different approach
Explain why your approach is better (not just different)
Use simple 'Others do X, we do Y' framing
Focus on strategy differences, not just features
Checklist
Inputs Needed
- Competitive landscape research
- Clear understanding of your core strategy
- Knowledge of why alternatives fail
- Insight into your unique advantages
Outputs
- Simple 'Others X, We Y' statement
- Explanation of why your approach works better
- Strategic positioning vs competitors
- Memorable differentiation story
Example
“Sleep app: 'everybody else tries to solve this problem with pills, we do it with skills through this app that teaches daily habits' or 'everybody else grows through paid marketing, we do YouTube content that gets millions of views so we acquire customers for pennies where others pay $10.'”
Related Knowledge
The Investor Pitch Narrative Arc
A 16-slide sequence that builds investor confidence by answering their core questions in logical order: Are you credible?
Lead With Credibility Rule
When you have meaningful accomplishments, put them as slide 2 to establish that you're worth listening to before diving into your business details.
solution_first_pitching
Create a problem slide that makes investors immediately understand the scale and urgency of what you're solving
Investor reads your problem slide and thinks 'wow, this affects way more people than I realized and I can see why they c
Save Good News for the End
Take 15% of your good news and hold it back until the final slides to create a positive lasting impression and additional momentum.
Anchor Your Vision to Recognized Winners
Position your company as 'we're doing what [successful company] did for [known market] but for [your bigger market]' to help investors quickly understand the opportunity size.