I missed lunch but here's a midnight snack to make up for it 🍪

Hey, founder fam!

Happy Friday (night)! 🌙

I usually aim to release this newsletter on Fridays around lunchtime (perfect for busy founders and operators who need something to read while they finish off a salad). But I wrote and re-wrote the copy a few times to make sure it would give what it needs to ✨give✨(we’re all about quality over here).

I hope the energy this week had you feeling regrouped and ready to start externalizing all your learnings, preparations, and behind-the-scenes work. If you’ve been spending a lot of time hunched over your laptop doing research, asking questions, seeking advice, and connecting dots, this is your sign to start putting those things into motion—don’t just let them live inside your head rent-free.

STAY PLUGGED IN

• Is ChatGPT going to be your new text bestie? OpenAI launched an official app in the iOS app store

• “Women are seen as better leaders in times of crisis”—Linda Yaccarino is the new captain of Twitter’s flailing ship

• Financial fraud may be no match for AI—here’s how deep learning models may help fight fraud

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Do you have questions you’d like answered about press coverage? Now’s your chance to tell me what you’d like to have answered next in this newsletter!

This newsletter is still ~brand new~ and growing so rather than choosing my weekly topics based on what I think y’all want to hear, I think it’s even more valuable for me to hear what your questions are and provide detailed answers in the newsletter.

All you have to do is fill out this super easy Google Form and each week, I’ll choose one question to answer. (hint: If you have more than one question you want answered, throw them all in—the more the merrier!)

Do you like journaling? Here’s how it can help you be a compelling interviewee

At its core, journaling helps us capture moments in time—and all of the feelings that came with them—in words. Jotting down the things that are most top of mind for you can help you revisit thoughts, feelings, mistakes, and accomplishments you forgot you experienced.

I once tried one of those “line a day” journals (though I wasn’t great at being consistent). But even flipping through the pages seven months later to read some of what I wrote showed me how much my feelings about a situation evolved, as well as how much my life had really changed in a short amount of time.

Being an entrepreneur is a unique journey. Sometimes it feels like you’re under a microscope and always getting peppered with questions about how you got to where you are and what you suggest others do.

It can sometimes be tough to retrace your steps, especially when you’re genuinely trying to help other entrepreneurs reach their goals. Certain things can feel like a blur and while you may want to share your happy ending, you also recognize the power in discussing those low points and how you navigated them. After all, we can often learn more from our failures than our successes.

That’s where your handy, dandy journal comes in.

When you record what’s going on during key moments of your journey, you create a resource for you to refer back to 1) when giving others advice, 2) when you have a similar problem to solve down the line, and 3) when you’re being interviewed for a story!!!

You’ll be able to share some anecdotes, tips, and details you may otherwise have completely forgotten about—and this makes for an even more unique feature when you’re telling your story and talking about your company.

As a reporter, when I’m interviewing someone, I want them to tell me something I can’t get anywhere else because I don’t want to just regurgitate what’s already out there—this is where your expertise and your background can really shine!

It also doesn’t add value for readers if they’re consuming content with advice and “happy endings” they’ve heard a million times over; leveraging those unique twists, turns, and key events from your journey can make you more memorable to readers. Plus, if the person I’m talking to gives responses that feel very generic or cookie-cutter, even after I’ve pressed them for more details, I likely won’t be reaching back out to them for a future interview.

TLDR; don’t underestimate the power of journaling as a founder. It can make you more prepared for the next big interview opportunity that falls in your lap, and it can make you a better resource to both yourself and other entrepreneurs.

COME JOIN ME

SUCCESS DOESN’T HAPPEN IN A SILO. IF YOU’RE A FIRST-TIME FOUNDER, I HAVE JUST THE THING FOR YOU.

I created a community that’s meant to help you learn, grow your skills, get advice from other fellow founders, and get connected to the right resources. Come join me at The F-Word (the F stands for Founder!)

KEEP UP WITH ME

Are you a founder looking for an investor? Submit your startup here and I’ll make an intro!

That’s all for right now. If you’re loving this newsletter, don’t forget to forward it to a friend who can also use some of these tips.

Catch you in the next one!

—Jasmin, Founder & EIC of Startup Media Girl