Explore the World's Best Ideas
Join today and uncover 100+ curated journeys from 50+ topics. Unlock access to our mobile app with extensive features.
The craziest ideas—the ones that are most likely to change the world—are often the hardest ones to sell. But that doesn’t mean we stop trying. We build the skills and invest the energy to make ourselves backable. And we realize, as all backable people eventually do, that when you get dismissed, there is always another room.
SUNEEL GUPTA
102
1.59K reads
MORE IDEAS ON THIS
Find An Earned Secret
Go beyond surface research to uncover non-Google-able insights.
Demonstrate the journey that led you to your idea. Share what you uniquely learned through deep field research.
Make audiences feel like insiders.
108
1.12K reads
We often chalk 'it' up to natural talent or charisma...either you have 'it' or you don't. But 'it' can be learned.
SUNEEL GUPTA
91
808 reads
Make Action Feel Inevitable
Leverage FOMO - the fear of missing out. Make inaction seem riskier than action.
Show unique benefits of moving now. Make your idea feel like an unstoppable rising tide sweeping people along.
105
1.03K reads
Understand Their Needs
- Truly grasp supporters' motivations and goals.
- Identify exactly how your idea fulfills their needs.
- Customize thoughtfully without losing integrity.
- Forced matches lead to downstream issues.
- Avoid assumptions.
98
985 reads
No one makes it alone. But there’s a reason why some people can get investors or bosses to believe in them while others cannot.
SUNEEL GUPTA
84
841 reads
Cast A Central Character
Stories of how ideas help real people are more compelling than abstractions. Imagine speaking to one person when pitching.
Highlight how a central character uniquely benefits. Build empathy by showing real impact.
95
1.21K reads
Play Exhibition Matches
Practice pitches in low-stakes environments to refine style and messaging. Be open to completely reinventing your approach based on feedback.
Embrace failures as learning. Losses prepare you for later wins.
90
872 reads
Convince Yourself First
If you don't truly believe in your ideas, no presentation can save you. Let authentic enthusiasm shine through. Feel a genuine emotional connection to your vision.
As challenges arise, check if they energize or deplete you. Your passion sets the tone.
104
1.32K reads
Let Go Of Your Ego
- Avoid shoehorning your pitch to what you assume backers want to hear. Stay true to your core vision and message.
- Have confidence that the right supporters will resonate with the real you and your ideas.
92
825 reads
Keep an Open Mind
Be willing to reinvent your thinking around ideas. Let go of preconceived notions of what will work.
Allow new information and context to shape your approach. Rigidity is the enemy of innovation.
92
779 reads
CURATED FROM
IDEAS CURATED BY
In his book Backable, Suneel Gupta argues that the key to success in business isn’t talent, connections, or ideas – it’s the ability to persuade people to take a chance on your ideas. Drawing lessons from hundreds of the world’s biggest thinkers, he shows readers how to craft a story that will make your ideas irresistible, and teaches techniques that will help you overcome objections, close deals, and bring your ideas to life.
“
Other curated ideas on this topic:
Having options
We are faced with options all the time, but life-altering ones often come up during times of great change. These options are the ones we have the hardest time capitalizing on.
If we’ve specialized too much, change is a threat, not an opportunity. Thus, if we aren’t certain where the opportunit...
Take stock of the skills you already have
Knowing what skills you already have will reveal what you can repurpose.
We often fail to realize how versatile our existing experience is. Being good at presenting the monthly status update doesn't mean that you're good at presenting monthly status up...
The growth mindset and change
The growth mindset shows that people can change, but it doesn’t tell you how much change is possible or how long change will take.
The growth mindset also doesn’t mean everything that can be changed should be changed. We all need to accept some of our imper...
Read & Learn
20x Faster
without
deepstash
with
deepstash
with
deepstash
Personalized microlearning
—
100+ Learning Journeys
—
Access to 200,000+ ideas
—
Access to the mobile app
—
Unlimited idea saving
—
—
Unlimited history
—
—
Unlimited listening to ideas
—
—
Downloading & offline access
—
—
Supercharge your mind with one idea per day
Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.
I agree to receive email updates