jdm
@therealjdm.bsky.social
Venture builder 🚀 Helping startups solve growth challenges with design thinking. I write about traction, product, growth, and fundraising. Follow along if you feel like it
I don't know who needs to hear this, but...
Pilots aren't about getting feedback.
They're about getting commitments.
Pilots aren't about getting feedback.
They're about getting commitments.
November 21, 2025 at 5:13 PM
I don't know who needs to hear this, but...
Pilots aren't about getting feedback.
They're about getting commitments.
Pilots aren't about getting feedback.
They're about getting commitments.
Got a startup question? Ask me anything!
I'll be live on Substack at noon today for our weekly office hours, where we chat startups, traction, fundraising — whatever’s on your mind.
Let’s gooooo 🚀
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
I'll be live on Substack at noon today for our weekly office hours, where we chat startups, traction, fundraising — whatever’s on your mind.
Let’s gooooo 🚀
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
LIVE SOON: Startup AMA w/ Cam & JDM
Starting Nov 4 at 3:00 PM EST
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Got a startup question? Ask me anything!
I'll be live on Substack at noon today for our weekly office hours, where we chat startups, traction, fundraising — whatever’s on your mind.
Let’s gooooo 🚀
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
I'll be live on Substack at noon today for our weekly office hours, where we chat startups, traction, fundraising — whatever’s on your mind.
Let’s gooooo 🚀
open.substack.com/live-stream/...
Reposted by jdm
I’m more used to saying this to people on the Left than people on the Right, but, “hate speech” is not an exception to the First Amendment. “Hate speech” is protected by the First Amendment unless it falls into a traditional established exception.
Attorney General Pam Bondi: "There's free speech and then there's hate speech, and there is no place, especially now, especially after what happened to Charlie, in our society...We will absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech."
September 16, 2025 at 1:00 AM
I’m more used to saying this to people on the Left than people on the Right, but, “hate speech” is not an exception to the First Amendment. “Hate speech” is protected by the First Amendment unless it falls into a traditional established exception.
I finally found a nice little perk of social anxiety!
Completely unrelated, let me read this message 7 more times before I hit Post
Completely unrelated, let me read this message 7 more times before I hit Post
At least on social media, one reason people are "like this" is: the internet removed even the smallest frictional costs for blurting out whatever stray neuron is in your brain.
Used to be that even to send a letter, you'd need paper, a stamp, etc, and in the time it took, the impulse would pass.
Used to be that even to send a letter, you'd need paper, a stamp, etc, and in the time it took, the impulse would pass.
Why are people like this?
September 14, 2025 at 11:10 PM
I finally found a nice little perk of social anxiety!
Completely unrelated, let me read this message 7 more times before I hit Post
Completely unrelated, let me read this message 7 more times before I hit Post
If your test can't fail, it can't teach you anything.
The usual suspects:
- Counting likes & shares like revenue
- Measuring "interest" before intent
- Asking leading questions
A real test must unambiguously succeed or fail.
Everything else? Just another rerun of Validation Theatre.
The usual suspects:
- Counting likes & shares like revenue
- Measuring "interest" before intent
- Asking leading questions
A real test must unambiguously succeed or fail.
Everything else? Just another rerun of Validation Theatre.
September 2, 2025 at 4:13 PM
If your test can't fail, it can't teach you anything.
The usual suspects:
- Counting likes & shares like revenue
- Measuring "interest" before intent
- Asking leading questions
A real test must unambiguously succeed or fail.
Everything else? Just another rerun of Validation Theatre.
The usual suspects:
- Counting likes & shares like revenue
- Measuring "interest" before intent
- Asking leading questions
A real test must unambiguously succeed or fail.
Everything else? Just another rerun of Validation Theatre.
I just put Tajín on dried mango.
I don't know where this has been all my life.
And you're welcome.
I don't know where this has been all my life.
And you're welcome.
September 1, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I just put Tajín on dried mango.
I don't know where this has been all my life.
And you're welcome.
I don't know where this has been all my life.
And you're welcome.
Your viral post isn't product-market fit — it's just one hit.
And one hit doesn't make you the Beatles.
New podcast episode breaks down why scalability requires repeatability, which requires predictability.
Spoiler: Most "validation" is expensive theater.
Listen to "Zero to Traction" now
And one hit doesn't make you the Beatles.
New podcast episode breaks down why scalability requires repeatability, which requires predictability.
Spoiler: Most "validation" is expensive theater.
Listen to "Zero to Traction" now
August 31, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Your viral post isn't product-market fit — it's just one hit.
And one hit doesn't make you the Beatles.
New podcast episode breaks down why scalability requires repeatability, which requires predictability.
Spoiler: Most "validation" is expensive theater.
Listen to "Zero to Traction" now
And one hit doesn't make you the Beatles.
New podcast episode breaks down why scalability requires repeatability, which requires predictability.
Spoiler: Most "validation" is expensive theater.
Listen to "Zero to Traction" now
If your “traction” slide says, “Seven people said this was interesting,” I’m already out.
Investors don’t want Canva art projects, they want proof your startup isn’t cosplay.
On this week's Zero to Traction: less Canva, more data.
Investors don’t want Canva art projects, they want proof your startup isn’t cosplay.
On this week's Zero to Traction: less Canva, more data.
August 23, 2025 at 4:13 PM
If your “traction” slide says, “Seven people said this was interesting,” I’m already out.
Investors don’t want Canva art projects, they want proof your startup isn’t cosplay.
On this week's Zero to Traction: less Canva, more data.
Investors don’t want Canva art projects, they want proof your startup isn’t cosplay.
On this week's Zero to Traction: less Canva, more data.
Another benefit of traction science:
You stop falling in love with bad ideas
Because evidence kills delusion faster than anything else.
You stop falling in love with bad ideas
Because evidence kills delusion faster than anything else.
August 22, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Another benefit of traction science:
You stop falling in love with bad ideas
Because evidence kills delusion faster than anything else.
You stop falling in love with bad ideas
Because evidence kills delusion faster than anything else.
Most startup ideas are worthless.
Whether it takes you 2 days or 2 years to find out... doesn't change the outcome.
Prove yourself wrong today, and you get 2 years of your life back.
Why wait?
Whether it takes you 2 days or 2 years to find out... doesn't change the outcome.
Prove yourself wrong today, and you get 2 years of your life back.
Why wait?
August 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Most startup ideas are worthless.
Whether it takes you 2 days or 2 years to find out... doesn't change the outcome.
Prove yourself wrong today, and you get 2 years of your life back.
Why wait?
Whether it takes you 2 days or 2 years to find out... doesn't change the outcome.
Prove yourself wrong today, and you get 2 years of your life back.
Why wait?
Startup pro tip:
Test your riskiest assumption first.
Don't waste time building "cool" features hoping customers want them.
Instead, validate the core problem exists — with enough severity and urgency to motivate customers to buy.
Life is short.
Don’t waste it building something no one wants.
Test your riskiest assumption first.
Don't waste time building "cool" features hoping customers want them.
Instead, validate the core problem exists — with enough severity and urgency to motivate customers to buy.
Life is short.
Don’t waste it building something no one wants.
August 21, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Startup pro tip:
Test your riskiest assumption first.
Don't waste time building "cool" features hoping customers want them.
Instead, validate the core problem exists — with enough severity and urgency to motivate customers to buy.
Life is short.
Don’t waste it building something no one wants.
Test your riskiest assumption first.
Don't waste time building "cool" features hoping customers want them.
Instead, validate the core problem exists — with enough severity and urgency to motivate customers to buy.
Life is short.
Don’t waste it building something no one wants.
You can find traction crazy fast if you just…
• Talk to 5 customers this week
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Measure what actually matters
• Iterate based on evidence
If you do? Congrats.
You just validated smarter than 90% of founders.
• Talk to 5 customers this week
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Measure what actually matters
• Iterate based on evidence
If you do? Congrats.
You just validated smarter than 90% of founders.
August 20, 2025 at 7:23 PM
You can find traction crazy fast if you just…
• Talk to 5 customers this week
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Measure what actually matters
• Iterate based on evidence
If you do? Congrats.
You just validated smarter than 90% of founders.
• Talk to 5 customers this week
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Measure what actually matters
• Iterate based on evidence
If you do? Congrats.
You just validated smarter than 90% of founders.
3 must-have startup skills every founder should master:
• Asking good questions
• Creating hypothesis
• Interpreting data
• Asking good questions
• Creating hypothesis
• Interpreting data
August 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
3 must-have startup skills every founder should master:
• Asking good questions
• Creating hypothesis
• Interpreting data
• Asking good questions
• Creating hypothesis
• Interpreting data
5 "hacks" for better startup experiments:
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Talk to customers before building
• Measure what matters, not feels good
• Fail fast, learn faster
• Iterate based on evidence, not ego
Turns out, the only real experiment hacks…
…aren't really hacks at all.
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Talk to customers before building
• Measure what matters, not feels good
• Fail fast, learn faster
• Iterate based on evidence, not ego
Turns out, the only real experiment hacks…
…aren't really hacks at all.
August 19, 2025 at 7:23 PM
5 "hacks" for better startup experiments:
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Talk to customers before building
• Measure what matters, not feels good
• Fail fast, learn faster
• Iterate based on evidence, not ego
Turns out, the only real experiment hacks…
…aren't really hacks at all.
• Test your riskiest assumption first
• Talk to customers before building
• Measure what matters, not feels good
• Fail fast, learn faster
• Iterate based on evidence, not ego
Turns out, the only real experiment hacks…
…aren't really hacks at all.
Feeling stuck? Stop planning and start testing.
No more market research paralysis
No more perfect pitch deck obsession
No more "just one more feature"
Just you, your hypothesis, and your willingness to be wrong.
It works every time.
No more market research paralysis
No more perfect pitch deck obsession
No more "just one more feature"
Just you, your hypothesis, and your willingness to be wrong.
It works every time.
August 19, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Feeling stuck? Stop planning and start testing.
No more market research paralysis
No more perfect pitch deck obsession
No more "just one more feature"
Just you, your hypothesis, and your willingness to be wrong.
It works every time.
No more market research paralysis
No more perfect pitch deck obsession
No more "just one more feature"
Just you, your hypothesis, and your willingness to be wrong.
It works every time.
Your pitch deck is a crime scene.
The fonts? Beautiful.
The gradient? Tasteful.
The story? Dead on arrival.
5 slides I see over and over again that should be charged with killing investor interest — and how to fix them.
🔎 Bring gloves:
tractionthinking.substack.com/p/your-pitch...
The fonts? Beautiful.
The gradient? Tasteful.
The story? Dead on arrival.
5 slides I see over and over again that should be charged with killing investor interest — and how to fix them.
🔎 Bring gloves:
tractionthinking.substack.com/p/your-pitch...
Your pitch deck is a crime scene.
Here are 5 pitch deck slides that should be charged with killing investor interest.
tractionthinking.substack.com
July 26, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Your pitch deck is a crime scene.
The fonts? Beautiful.
The gradient? Tasteful.
The story? Dead on arrival.
5 slides I see over and over again that should be charged with killing investor interest — and how to fix them.
🔎 Bring gloves:
tractionthinking.substack.com/p/your-pitch...
The fonts? Beautiful.
The gradient? Tasteful.
The story? Dead on arrival.
5 slides I see over and over again that should be charged with killing investor interest — and how to fix them.
🔎 Bring gloves:
tractionthinking.substack.com/p/your-pitch...
Startup Office Hours — ask us anything!
We're doing another venture science #ama over on LinkedIn. Bring your questions, snark, hot takes, and a cup of coffee... You're gonna need it.
Noon PDT on Fridays.
jdm.bio/calendar
We're doing another venture science #ama over on LinkedIn. Bring your questions, snark, hot takes, and a cup of coffee... You're gonna need it.
Noon PDT on Fridays.
jdm.bio/calendar
I’m JDM, and I’m a venture scientist — I turn assumptions into data, and data into traction
I’m a venture scientist — I turn assumptions into data, and data into traction.
jdm.bio
July 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Startup Office Hours — ask us anything!
We're doing another venture science #ama over on LinkedIn. Bring your questions, snark, hot takes, and a cup of coffee... You're gonna need it.
Noon PDT on Fridays.
jdm.bio/calendar
We're doing another venture science #ama over on LinkedIn. Bring your questions, snark, hot takes, and a cup of coffee... You're gonna need it.
Noon PDT on Fridays.
jdm.bio/calendar
Reposted by jdm
COLUMN: Why is the DOJ botching the Epstein saga?
“The possibilities range from bad to worse” — especially for what they suggest about the country’s legal leadership, writes former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori.
“The possibilities range from bad to worse” — especially for what they suggest about the country’s legal leadership, writes former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori.
3 Scenarios That Explain the Epstein Debacle
All reflect poorly on the Department of Justice.
www.politico.com
July 16, 2025 at 2:26 PM
COLUMN: Why is the DOJ botching the Epstein saga?
“The possibilities range from bad to worse” — especially for what they suggest about the country’s legal leadership, writes former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori.
“The possibilities range from bad to worse” — especially for what they suggest about the country’s legal leadership, writes former federal prosecutor Ankush Khardori.
Reposted by jdm
HAPPENING NOW: Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are back in court following yesterday’s wild evidentiary hearing.
The parties have re-convened for oral argument on Abrego’s motion to be returned to Maryland if he’s released from criminal custody in TN next week.
Follow along ⬇️ 🧵
The parties have re-convened for oral argument on Abrego’s motion to be returned to Maryland if he’s released from criminal custody in TN next week.
Follow along ⬇️ 🧵
July 11, 2025 at 1:31 PM
HAPPENING NOW: Lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia are back in court following yesterday’s wild evidentiary hearing.
The parties have re-convened for oral argument on Abrego’s motion to be returned to Maryland if he’s released from criminal custody in TN next week.
Follow along ⬇️ 🧵
The parties have re-convened for oral argument on Abrego’s motion to be returned to Maryland if he’s released from criminal custody in TN next week.
Follow along ⬇️ 🧵
Reposted by jdm
#SCOTUS announces that tomorrow is the *last* day on which it will hand down decisions in cases argued this term.
That means birthright citizenship, non-delegation, age verification for porn websites, and three other major rulings will all come down in quick succession starting tomorrow at 10 ET.
That means birthright citizenship, non-delegation, age verification for porn websites, and three other major rulings will all come down in quick succession starting tomorrow at 10 ET.
June 26, 2025 at 2:19 PM
#SCOTUS announces that tomorrow is the *last* day on which it will hand down decisions in cases argued this term.
That means birthright citizenship, non-delegation, age verification for porn websites, and three other major rulings will all come down in quick succession starting tomorrow at 10 ET.
That means birthright citizenship, non-delegation, age verification for porn websites, and three other major rulings will all come down in quick succession starting tomorrow at 10 ET.
You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who's coming to save you?
It was nice knowing you all
It was nice knowing you all
June 12, 2025 at 4:52 AM
You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who's coming to save you?
It was nice knowing you all
It was nice knowing you all
Reposted by jdm
Want to help Sacramento, CA area rescue cats? 🐾 Check out happytails.org! This no-kill, volunteer-powered sanctuary is full of whiskers, heart, and second chances. Adopt, donate, or just swoon over sweet faces. 💛 #adoptdontshop #catrescue #HappyTails
June 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Want to help Sacramento, CA area rescue cats? 🐾 Check out happytails.org! This no-kill, volunteer-powered sanctuary is full of whiskers, heart, and second chances. Adopt, donate, or just swoon over sweet faces. 💛 #adoptdontshop #catrescue #HappyTails
Reposted by jdm
My favourite ways of saying “I’m in a spot of bother” from ten different languages…
May 27, 2025 at 9:22 PM
My favourite ways of saying “I’m in a spot of bother” from ten different languages…
Movie you’ve seen more than six times, no Star Wars or Trek or LOTR
April 28, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Movie you’ve seen more than six times, no Star Wars or Trek or LOTR
Most startups don’t die from bad ideas.
They die from wandering in circles — chasing vibes instead of proof.
Here’s how we help founders stop guessing and start proving:
The Traction Model
🧵
They die from wandering in circles — chasing vibes instead of proof.
Here’s how we help founders stop guessing and start proving:
The Traction Model
🧵
April 24, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Most startups don’t die from bad ideas.
They die from wandering in circles — chasing vibes instead of proof.
Here’s how we help founders stop guessing and start proving:
The Traction Model
🧵
They die from wandering in circles — chasing vibes instead of proof.
Here’s how we help founders stop guessing and start proving:
The Traction Model
🧵