This Apple vet has a funny piece of advice for founders: Pay attention to a VC's stomach

Jean-Louis Gassée Twitter

Jean-Louis Gassée, a former Apple executive and a columnist for the tech and business blog Monday Note, has an unusual piece of advice that he likes to give to the startup founders and entrepreneurs that he occasionally advises:

When you're pitching a VC, pay attention to their stomach.

No, not to decide whether or not you should ask for their workout tips. But because if you do, you will notice the subtle shifts in their muscles and posture that indicate when they want to say something.

That's when you know to shut up, Gassée tells Business Insider.

Pausing to let someone speak or ask a question instead of making them interrupt you impresses your audience and makes startup pitches more effective for all parties. It turns it into a conversation instead of a presentation, and can help surface the best questions.

Gassée's other piece of advice: If you're bringing a pitch-deck, then make it as dead simple as possible, with all the most important information on only three slides.

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