A recent X post presented some interesting questions:
making pre-seed decisions in 30 mins is really tough here are some random places i look for signal from obvious to very obscure and arbitrary...
how long founders have known one another
12 years.
founder roles & equity splits
CEO/CTO, even equity split.
how much founders pay themselves
Currently, zero.
how quickly they ship
Multiple minor shipments throughout the day. Probably reaching key epiphanies weekly, and not afraid to destroy code.
conistent conviction and execution
We have conviction that taxation will still occur in ten years. Execution to us means deleting code. You have to let action surface information. You have to recognize that the main purpose of the code you're writing today, is to reveal the contours of the code you must write tomorrow.
what they do for fun
Writing, swimming and jiu-jitsu.
2x+ founder
We've founded companies and returned capital twice before. Investors always made money. References upon request.
how intentionally they speak
Reach out to allocation@shmarty.com to setup a call. Hear the intention behind every note.
how clearly they write
Start with this page. Then move onto shmarty.com/deck. If you like what you're reading, reach out to allocations@shmarty.com.
conciseness of their tagline
Practices made perfect.
We can't help you with death.
Lightning fast, laser sharp.
why they chose their idea
Clear rules, extreme aversion, eternal lifespan. Plus, taxes were a family biz.
quality of company name + domain
"Shmarty"; better or worse than "Google" or "Airwallex"? .com seems to still work.
pixel perfect, simple + refined website
Check it out, https://shmarty.com.
velocity of customer conversations * quality coefficient
We acquired a tax firm with thousands of customers. We're immersed in customer interactions at all hours of the day.
whether they can cite the 3 people they want to hire immediately
Can share in a live medium, voice or video. Reach out to allocations@shmarty.com to setup a time.
whether they can cite their top 3 ideal customers immediately
Can share in a live medium, voice or video. Reach out to allocations@shmarty.com to setup a time.
design intuition (less is more)
See the minimalism of https://shmarty.com. How do you feel?
impatience / anxiety score (more is good, up to a point)
Have you invested yet?
desire to "win" / competitiveness
Be in dialogue with us. See how hard we move.
chip on shoulder to prove themselves
The author of the original X post didn't respond. Fuck that guy.
taste, products / clothing / people they follow (very mixed signals)
Monochrome.
big company tenure (OK but generally bad if stayed too long)
4 and 6 years at Google Engineering, respectively. Also stints at Intel, Procter and Gamble.
signals of self-worth
We are shmarter than the competition.
harvard/stanford/MIT CS
Berkeley CS.
Heard enough? Get access: