Week 11: Transference

The pressure is on. I find myself watching startup and venture capital documentaries before I go to bed at night.

Coming from the entertainment industry, I am fascinated by how these tech pitches have evolved over time. What used to be two geeks in a garage taking meetings has evolved to splashy stages with headsets and hoodies.

It reminds me of how budget presentations in my last job went from a sensible conversation about numbers to extravagant, highly stylized productions with interactive video (and one page of numbers buried in the appendix).

One year, one division spent mid-six-figures on their presentation alone. They hired a Saturday Night Live director, cast, crew, and choreographer. Think this was a waste of money? The CEO stood up and applauded them in the end. Then, you guessed it, they built in an increased budget for the budget presentation next year.

Is this a long way of saying I hate pitching? Maybe.

There’s a famous saying in Hollywood where an agent goes, “Anybody can sell a good script! Selling a bad script…that’s what I get paid the big bucks for.” In the same vein, I know many screenwriters who can attest to good scripts not selling at all. Although it’s strangely heartwarming that bad ideas have a chance too.

I wonder where that leaves this crazy idea for better mentorship. We’ll see.

“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.”

–Ayn Rand