6 episodes
The Hiten Show Supermix
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- Technology
I've created this show to give more founders access to the most valuable tool on my journey: real, honest, contextual feedback from a founder who's been there before.
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Reacting to real, live, startup pitches | Office Hours
On today’s episode, three founders pitch me. I give them two perspectives: the investor viewpoint, including the impressions and likely questions they'd face, and detailed feedback on the pitch itself. We discuss:
• What not to say
• How to talk about traction
• Telling a compelling story in under 60s
• Avoiding investor confusion
• Communicating your unique value
Today’s founders:
• Austin: Howie (howie.ai)
• Omar: UnInbox (uninbox.com)
• Luke: Pixels (pixels.xyz)
Episode timestamps
(00:00) Show intro
(00:33) Luke, founder of Pixels (400k DAU)
(05:35) Austin, founder of Howie (AI scheduling assistant)
(10:56) Omar, founder of UnInbox (open-source email)
(15:26) Reflecting on today’s pitches
(16:14) That’s a wrap!
Socials
• Website: https://www.hiten.show
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Quick Links
• Share feedback: https://www.hiten.show/feedback
• Pitch me: https://www.hiten.show/pitch
• Submit a question: https://www.hiten.show/ask
• Newsletter: https://www.hiten.show/
Find the show
• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
• Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
Disclaimer Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. -
Answering your questions on hiring and firing | Office Hours
On today’s episode, we discuss hiring and firing, including:
• Big mistakes and how to avoid them
• Why “hiring slow, firing fast” is wrong
• The problem with offshore talent
• Building remote versus in-person
• Ways to hire top talent
• Tips that will help you scale
Socials
• Website: https://www.hiten.show
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Share feedback:
• https://www.hiten.show/feedback
Pitch me:
• https://www.hiten.show/pitch
Submit a question:
• https://www.hiten.show/ask
Newsletter:
• https://www.hiten.show
Find the show
• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
• Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
• Amazon: https://www.hiten.show/amazon
Disclaimer Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional.
Episode timestamps
(00:00) Show intro
(00:20) Rapid Fire Round
(00:28) Q1: How we we keep morale high after a pivot?
(01:28) Q2: How much financial info should we share with employees?
(02:31) Q3: What’s the biggest hiring mistake you’ve ever made?
(03:00) Q4: What’s the biggest firing mistake you’ve ever made?
(03:52) Q5: Do you have a golden rule for hiring?
(04:48) Q6: How do I lower an employee’s pay?
(05:23) Q7: What’s your favorite interview question?
(06:06) Q8: Thoughts on poaching employees?
(08:04) Hot Takes
(08:18) You should hire slow and fire fast
(08:45) In-person startups > remote ones
(10:10) Work trials are a great way to evaluate job candidates
(11:33) Hiring offshore talent is a great way to build a team
(12:10) That's a wrap!
Last updated: 10:02am, 23 April, 2024 -
AI founders share their biggest challenges | Office Hours
Today, I talk to two founders about a range of challenges they’re facing with building AI products, including:
• What founders get wrong about AI
• Why AI isn’t the problem
• Building horizontal versus vertical
• Pricing AI products
• Dealing with churn
Todayʼs founders
• James Flynn - Coso.ai: https://coso.ai/
• Girri M Palaniyapan - DialMe: https://dialme.at
Socials
• Website: https://www.hiten.show
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Share feedback
• https://www.hiten.show/feedback
Pitch me
• https://www.hiten.show/pitch
Submit a question
• https://www.hiten.show/ask
Call the hotline and leave a message
• +1 (866) 860 6695
Newsletter
• https://www.hiten.show
Find the show
• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
• Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
• Amazon: https://www.hiten.show/amazon
Episode Timestamps
(00:00) Show intro
(00:31) Rapid Fire Round
(00:43) Q1: Have you been tempted to start an AI company?
(01:17) Q2: What do people get wrong about AI?
(01:49) Q3: Is it too late to start an AI company?
(02:40) Q4: Will AGI make every startup redundant?
(03:15) Q5: Can AI help us compete against market leaders?
(05:20) Q6: How do I tell if my AI product is working?
(07:29) Q7: Should you offer a freemium model for your AI product?
(09:15) The Hotline
(09:22) James, co-founder of coso.ai
(12:44) Building what customers want
(13:59) Girri, co-founder of DialMe
(16:48) Building broad versus vertical
(17:23) That's a wrap!
Last updated 9:54 pm, April 22 (ET) -
How to pitch your startup
On the second episode of The Hiten Show, I speak to two founders about how to pitch investors
We cover a range of challenges, including:
• One thing all great pitches have
• What investors actually care about
• The secret to telling a story in 60 seconds
• Common pitching mistakes and how to avoid them
Todayʼs founders
• Steve Witmer - Roster
• Michael Bishop - Spot
Socials
• Website: https://www.hiten.show
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Share feedback
https://www.hiten.show/feedback
Pitch me
https://www.hiten.show/pitch
Submit a question
https://www.hiten.show/ask
Call the hotline and leave a message
+1 (866) 860 6695
Newsletter
https://www.hiten.show
Find the show
• All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
• Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
• Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
• Amazon: https://www.hiten.show/amazon
Episode Timestamps
(00:00) Show intro
(00:26) Pitch Perfect
(00:33) Steve, founder of Roster
(05:54) Getting investors to pick you
(07:16) Micheal, founder of Spot
(13:07) Selling the founders’ story
(14:40) Rapid Fire Round
(14:50) Q1: Tips for pitching over Zoom
(15:32) Q2: One thing all great pitches have
(16:33) Q3: Most common mistake when pitching
(17:38) Q4: How to avoid common mistakes
(19:22) That's a wrap!
Disclaimer
Hiten Shahʼs “The Hiten Showˮ episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. -
Investor red flags, how to fundraise and more | Office Hours
Welcome to episode #1 of The Hiten Show! Today, I cover a range of fundraising challenges, including:
Crafting a narrative around cap table complications
Judging whether a pitch went well
Biggest fundraising mistakes
Managing term sheet deadlines
Common investor red flags
Socials
Website: https://www.hiten.show
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Pitch me:
https://www.hiten.show/pitch
Submit a question:
https://www.hiten.show/ask
Share feedback:
https://www.hiten.show/feedback
Find the show
All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
Amazon: https://www.hiten.show/amazon
Disclaimer
Hiten Shah’s “The Hiten Show” episodes are provided for general information purposes only and do not constitute business, financial, or other professional advice. Audience members should not act upon the content or information found here without first seeking appropriate advice from an accountant, financial planner, lawyer, or other professional. -
Welcome to The Hiten Show
Let's give it another shot.
All right.
This is really hard for me. I've recorded this more times than I can count, now. Part of the reason is I had the mic facing the wrong way the first time.
So, let me just give you a quick update and get this all out of the way. I'm launching a new show and it's all about honest conversations with founders working through some of their biggest challenges as they're happening.
These are the conversations that as I've been in startups for the last 20 years, don't really happen. And what I mean by that is direct, honest, meaningful, impactful, actionable feedback on whatever challenge that founders are going through.
But I need something from you.
I need your help to make this great. So, what I ask is that you check out the first episode, you find the feedback form in the description or on the website, and then you tell me exactly what you think.
I want to know what's good, what's great, but most importantly, the thing that's going to make me smile, is tell me your most critical feedback.
What you don't like, what you hate, what you think can be improved.
I'm calling it The Hiten Show
Connect with Hiten
Website: https://www.hiten.show
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitenshow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitenshow
Apply for an upcoming pitch session:
https://www.hiten.show/pitch
Ask Hiten a question:
https://www.hiten.show/ask
Thoughts? Ideas? Questions?
We’re always looking to learn and improve!
Leave your feedback for Hiten: https://www.hiten.show/feedback
Where you can find the show
All episodes: https://www.hiten.show/episodes
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitenshow
Spotify: https://www.hiten.show/spotify
Apple: https://www.hiten.show/apple
Amazon: https://www.hiten.show/amazon
About Hiten Shah
Hiten Shah is a veteran entrepreneur who’s been building and investing in successful startups for over twenty years. Beyond founding of three SaaS companies (Crazy Egg, KISSmetrics and Quick Sprout). Hiten has been a key investor in hundreds of other startups, and has helped founders raise billions of dollars in VC money along the way.