Here's a talk I gave on the hard times in startup life. Startup stories are tales that most founders can relate to. I gave this at Taiwan Startup Stadium in Taipei and in Hong Kong at Blueprint Accelerator.

1. Tristan Pollock
500 Startups EIR &Venture Partner
@writerpollock
tristan@500.co
STARTUP
STORIES

2. ~ Most ActiveVC
~ 5Years Old
~1,200 Startups Invested

4. STOREFRONT IS AN ONLINE
MARKETPLACETO CONNECT
MAKERSTO SHORT-TERM
RETAIL SPACE

5. ~ 2.5YEARS OLD
~ RAISED ~$10M
~TEAM OF 20

6. OVER 1,000 STORES OPENED

7. Tristan Pollock
tristan@500.co

8. LESSON #1
You don’t need to grow up in SiliconValley.

9. WINTER HAS
ARRIVED

10. MINNEAPOLIS =
ART, MUSIC, FOOD

11. Tristan Pollock
tristan@500.co

12. LESSON #2
Experience new ways of doing things.

13. + +

14. LESSON #3
Test everything. Double down.

15. LESSON #4
Relationships matter. Find mentors.

16. ~ 200 Contributors in 25 Countries
~ Acquired by Boston media company

17. LESSON #5
Surround yourself with ambition.

18. WHY?

19. MAKERS FOR LIFE

20. [ GREY SPACE ]

21. 1 IN 10 STORES ARE
EMPTY

22. 28 MILLIONsmall businesses and entrepreneurs in the US.
*1/6 work in the creative industry.

23. KANYE

24. TRENDS
1.THREE ECONOMIES
2. PERSONAL SELLING REVOLUTION
3. RETAIL = EXPERIENCE

25. SHARING ECONOMY efficiency + trust

26. WINTER HAS
ARRIVED

27. LOCAL ECONOMY

28. 4ON-
DEMAND
ECONOMY

29. PERSONAL SELLING REVOLUTION
SQUARE +
TWITTER +
YOUTUBE

30. RETAIL
SALES95%

31. LESSON #6

32. BE PASSIONATE
MAKE THINGS THAT MATTER

33. @WRITERPOLLOCK + TRISTAN@500.CO