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I found it very helpful to have your own rituals for the task you want to accomplish.

I create a spreadsheet with every startup before I start watching anything.

Then I start rating startups and comment on founders on my sheet while watching the videos.

I focus 100% on the first minute of any video, sometimes founders are so good they completely get my attention, sometimes I lose interest and just go back to my sheet commenting.

My sheet/notes are my starting point, if I’m bored I fix it there..I found out that I get bored when I hear a pitch that solves a problem for industries I’m not interested in.

I attended 4 online demo days, and every time my sheet gets improved. I cannot watch these videos without a spreadsheet..and now my team asks me to send them the spreadsheet before every demo day.

I think YC should add a sheet for us to write our comments/ratings and decision.

The data from these sheets will be so helpful to understand how attendees perceive each pitch, how founders can improve it




Quite meticulous: what are you using these spreadsheets for?


Excel sheet. I used both Numbers and Excel and I found excel is better to compare my notes and ratings.

After a year I go back and compare my ratings to how much each startup raised, IRR..etc.

In the first batch I rated one of the startup 1/5, after a year, when the startup raised a lot $$$$ I went back to my comment on why I rated it 1/5

My note said “too niche”

It hit me and I realized it was as if Jeff Bezos was pitching me Amazon and I said e-commerce for books only! This is a niche market.

It’s very helpful to go back and read your comments about these startups. You learn with every startup you mess..


I've been making investment mistakes and trying to learn from them for 15 years now. Recording a couple sentences about your reasons why or why not helps a lot. People aren't naturally good at learning from decisions with long feedback delays -- you have to keep notes.

I wish I had decision notes from earlier life choices, like why I studied EE instead of CS, why I chose my PhD advisor, why I joined companies, got married, etc.


I keep track of investment decisions, but not life decisions...life is too big for me to have it tracked on excel.

But I hear you...sometimes you lose sight of your big goal. It helps to have your goal/vision engraved in your mind, it helps to write and dream about it.


Fascinating and awesome diligence.

Are you an investor? Startup stats fan? Looking to take your lessons and research and start your own company?

Would you be willing to share your notes or a curated version?


I’m a previous founder, I’ll come back with my second act someday. After I quit my startup I decided to stay around in this startup world.

I attend these demo days on behalf of investors who trust my judgement in specific verticals.

I’m fine sharing my notes.


I’m also interested. Email in profile and keybase username is same as HN username.


Very cool. Thank you. Keybase handle is in my profile if you’d like to connect!


I'd love to read them also, e-mail is in profile!


Really interested in seeing your notes too.


How do I share it with you?


Set up a mailing list? I'd love to see those notes too. My email is in my profile.


Hi maram, I'd love to have copy too. My email is postnihilismhn@gmail.com. Thanks!


Thanks! Email is in my profile.


Yup, me too. Email in profile


Would love to see your notes. Thank you!




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