Slow Ventures recently organized a three-hour “Etiquette Finishing School” aimed at helping founders refine their professional presence in the tech industry. Those hot topics created some exciting discussions for entrepreneurs sharpened their saws. Attendees practiced the perfect handshake, developed public speaking skills and learned office decorum to improve their business etiquette.
The creative finishing school equipped participants with hands-on strategies for everything from the art of the pitch to relationship cultivation. With a strong focus on business etiquette and first impressions, participants got involved in role play activities illustrating the do’s and dont’s of networking. The ideal handshake also emphasized as an important skill, was perfecting the art of public speaking. Office decorum was another topic, with the desire to prepare founders with the tools they need to successfully interact with professional environments.
Despite the event’s intentions, Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, publicly expressed skepticism about the need for such training. He advised founders against attending the event, stating on X, “You don’t need finishing school. You need to build something great, make your users happy, and have craftsmanship.” Tan’s comments opened up a great conversation among the tech community about the need for technical skills to be grounded in the appropriate professional behavior and culture.
One of the founders, who didn’t want to be named in the story, went to the etiquette school to be more effective in their professional courtship. They did want to be less “feral,” though. In truth, tech entrepreneurs are just now beginning to understand the value of sharp, professional communication. This increasingly frustrated sentiment is born from the incredibly competitive landscape they work in.
We got a great contrast on the world that tech, according to Sam Lessin, another industry luminary, was creating and the world that tech is helping destroy. He remarked, “Tech is no longer playful and cute. It’s taking people’s jobs and changing environments. Everyone’s threatened by it, which means you need to be like, ‘I’m here and respectful,’ as opposed to ‘I’m here and intentionally disrespectful.’” Lessin’s comment highlights the need to raise the standard of professionalism in a profession undergoing such a quick, seismic shift.
