The surprising skill every founder should master

If you asked me which underrated skill I wish I’d explored earlier as a founder, I’d say writing. And no, I don’t mean writing books or becoming a wordsmith. I mean writing to bring clarity and move your business forward.

Maybe you’re reading this thinking, “Why would writing help me? I’m here to build things, not write essays.” Trust me, I get it. But here’s the thing: your business might stall because you’re unclear about where it’s going, and writing can change that.

Writing forces you to refine your thoughts. Whether you’re reaching out to customers, investors, or partners, being able to clearly and concisely explain what you do—and why it matters—makes all the difference. A cold email that gets ignored? A pitch that doesn’t land? Often, it’s a clarity issue. Practicing how to ask for what you want, without wasting someone’s time, is a superpower. And like any skill, it gets better with practice.

Why writing matters in a noisy world

The startup world is noisy. Everyone is competing for attention—investors, customers, even other founders. The trick? Be clear about what you want and communicate it effectively.

I recently talked to a friend about the power of cold messaging. She swore by it, and honestly, so do I. You’ll hear people say cold emailing or messaging is dead, but that’s just not true. Some of the most important doors I’ve walked through happened because of a cold message.

When I started, my messages got ignored. No responses. Zero. I realized I needed to improve my writing to make people care. Writing thoughtful, concise messages that respect the other person’s time made all the difference. It’s not about magic words—it’s about practicing clarity and brevity.

Write your own memo

If you’re raising capital, here’s a tip: write your own memo about your company. Investors do it, so why not you? It’s not just about impressing others; it’s about getting clear on where your company is going, why it matters, and what you’ll do with the investment.

Clarity is a competitive edge, and writing a memo forces you to think deeply about your business. It’s tough at first, but once you’ve done it, you’ll see how valuable it is. Some founder friends even fill out the Y Combinator application every quarter—not to apply, but as an exercise to rethink their business.

So, if you’re looking for a productive way to spend time this weekend, grab a pen or open a blank doc. Start with these two exercises:

Two writing exercises to gain clarity on your business

The post-mortem exercise

It’s the year 2030, and your company has failed. Write a post-mortem explaining what went wrong. Why did the business die? What could you have done differently? I got this idea from a podcast with Sam Corcos, CEO of Levels, and it’s been eye-opening.

Use what you write to backtrack and identify changes you can make today.

The "Sell to yourself" exercise

Imagine you just bought your company. You’re stepping in as the new CEO—what’s the goal? What changes would you make to get there? What’s stopping you from making those changes now? This idea came from Adam Alpert, Co-Founder of Pangea.app, and it inspired this entire newsletter.

What about you? Are there any writing exercises you’ve tried that have helped you? Drop them in the comments—I’d love to learn from you.