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Bro, 2005 was a different planet. YC was just starting, competition was tiny, and investors were betting on raw energy, not traction. Try walking in today with no product, no users, no nothing—you’ll get roasted. Context made Reddit, not just the pitch...

🟠 Step 2: The Solution – Start Simple The mistake most founders make? Leading with shiny tech. “AI-powered X with blockchain for Y” = instant credibility killer. Reddit didn’t pitch tech. They pitched a simple, obvious solution: A platform where users could post content, vote on it, and build community-driven conversations. No bells. No whistles. Just the fastest path to solving the problem. 💡 Investor tip: Great startups are obsessed with the problem, not the tech. 🟡 Step 3: The Insight – The Real Differentiator - Here’s the unlock: investors fund insights, not just ideas. Reddit’s insight? Online behavior was shifting. People didn’t just want to consume static blogs or siloed forums, they wanted dynamic, anonymous, community-driven conversations. That clarity separated Reddit from every other forum/blog of the time. There are 5 types of unfair insights that make a pitch fundable: Founder Advantage – You’ve lived the pain. Market Advantage – Your space is growing 20%+ a year. Product Advantage – You’re not 10% better, you’re 10x better. Acquisition Advantage – You don’t need to burn cash to get users. Monopoly Advantage – Network effects make your product stronger with scale. 💡 Truth: No insight = no differentiation = no investor interest. 🚀 The Pitch Structure That Works Reddit didn’t have users or code. But they had a narrative investors couldn’t ignore: Problem → Solution → Insight That’s the storytelling framework early founders should steal. Not hype. Not jargon. Just clarity. 🔑 Takeaway What makes an idea fundable isn’t traction or tech, it’s how well you frame it. Reddit raised because: ✅ They chose a problem that mattered ✅ They kept the solution simple and clear ✅ They framed an insight that was non-obvious but inevitable Founders: Before your next pitch deck, ask yourself.. 👉 Am I solving a problem painful enough to matter? 👉 Is my solution the simplest possible wedge? 👉 Do I have an insight others haven’t spotted yet? That’s the difference between “come back later” and “here’s a term sheet.”