Distribution, being extreme, and meeting investors

Welcome back to the Z Fellows newsletter! Every Monday we share 3 ideas - to help you build companies, ship products, and create your life's work.

1: Peter Thiel on Distribution

“Nerds might wish that distribution could be ignored and salesmen banished to another planet. All of us want to believe that we make up our own minds, that sales doesn’t work on us. But it’s not true. Everybody has a product to sell—no matter whether you’re an employee, a founder, or an investor. It’s true even if your company consists of just you and your computer. Look around. If you don’t see any salespeople, you’re the salesperson.”

— Peter Thiel

Source: Zero to One

2: Derek Sivers on Being Extreme

“You can’t just normal your way through this.

Extreme talent requires extreme practice — training like an Olympic athlete.

Extreme success requires extreme focus — saying no to distractions and leisure.

Extreme fame requires extreme ambition — taking the spotlight and its pressure.

You can’t do what everyone else does. You can’t watch 63 hours of everyone’s favorite TV show. You can’t get two dogs that need you to be home. That’s for normal people who want a normal life. That’s not for you.

The music business is no place to be normal. The more intense, the better. Normal people will think you’re insane. But your fellow achievers will welcome you to the exclusive club.

When you are not practicing, someone somewhere is practicing. And when you meet him, he will win.

Throw yourself into this entirely. Find what you love and let it kill you.”

— Derek Sivers

Source: Your Music and People

3: Naval on meeting with investors

“You have to understand that their time is being assaulted in all directions…. you have to respect their time as much as you respect your own.

This means:

1. Don’t insist on in-person meetings

2. Qualify the leads first

3. Send them something in writing

4. Get a very good introduction from someone who’s trusted

5. Don’t be secretive

6. Don’t browbeat them into an in-person meeting or a phone call

Let them screen it first via text or a summary or a business plan. And then if they request it, you can follow up with an in-person meeting.”

Source: Naval Ravikant Talks Entrepreneurship (h/t: Startup Archive)

Best of The Week

See you next Monday,

- Jay + The Z Fellows Team

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