Allison Braley 🦊

Memorial Day moment of zen

@Jackyhuang @MelisaSeah it's jacky, bitch 🎶 was so bummed to miss this!

We had a blast yapping <3 I felt like Brittany with my mic 🎤

Anyone who rides shotgun alone in a Waymo should be studied

@Priyasideas Shows a lack of backbone -- say "no" and explain why! It's what you're paid for.

@allisonbraley companies/ceos dont always realize that that's not how it works bc they're either 1) new to press or 2) haven't thought it through bc theyre busy doing other things. the fact that the comms people are not taking a minute to explain that and are asking themselves is embarrassing

In addition to insulting the reporter (basically calling them a slop cannon / shill), it insults your own client to ask for this. Do you have so little faith in your own story that you have to resort to JV control tactics? Negative aura points.

@johnloeber @kyliebytes I will always choose cheese

if you are interested in mongering, you only have three options: 1. fear 2. war 3. fish it’s tough

@KatieBaynes Insane flex

Whenever I feel like I'm shadowbanned I remember that the literal creator of this website once tweeted my name and photo . . . and it also only had ~7 likes.

@LubaYudasina @kevinzhang @BainCapVC Loved watching this. @kevinzhang is always willing to take big bets on outlier talent.

Kevin Zhang (@kevinzhang) at BCV is one of those people who reaches out before you ask, offers to help, and then actually does it. He's been at @BainCapVC for nearly a decade, leading early-stage bets across AI, crypto, longevity, and industrials and he built programs to find young talent before anyone else notices them. We talk about confidence, self-doubt, and what it actually takes to back people before it's obvious. We cover - "Hyperstition": why enough people believing in something can make it true - Why he thinks imposter syndrome is often just an accurate self-assssment - Full stack capitalism: why the most ambitious founders need more than just venture dollars - His dream second career: political talent scout SO much more! Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:01 The Invisible Glass Ceiling 08:40 Surviving the Almost-Dead Startup 13:40 Full Stack Capitalism 19:24 Bet on People, Not Sectors 23:32 Spotting Greatness Early 27:05 Build Conviction 30:36 Beyond the SaaS Playbook 36:34 Understanding Society 39:21 Why He Stayed at Bain Capital 43:52 Investing in Founders 47:24 Rapid Fire “Kevin Zhang: The Brutal Truth About Imposter Syndrome” available across all major platforms!

@pchopra28 The problem is that they see the video as the goal. Or "going viral" or whatever. The goal should be to tell your authentic story in whatever format works best. Maybe a video? Maybe not. The video is a delivery mechanism. The message is the part to spend time on.

@allisonbraley see every company doing a generic launch video

Be yourself and be early. There have been a few threads here that all lead back to the same place for me. 1: The commodification and naming of various aesthetics 2: 996, grindcore becoming aspirational / performative 3: Slop in all forms As soon as you try to model yourself after another thing -- "see! we're like [ASPIRATIONAL THING]!! We talk like them, look like them, act like them!!" -- as soon as you're thinking this way, you've lost. The first few companies to have a specific culture, or branding or aesthetic get a significant boost. It's authentic to them. It's theirs. The 100th company to try to squeeze into that space finds it very crowded and the framing they've selected provides very little benefit. The real work in marketing IMO is in spending time with founders deeply thinking about why they're building, what they're building and how it should feel. Be like [OTHER THING] is the worst possible direction, and you'd be amazed how often it's given.

@khushkhushkhush @mollytaft The ask is temporary. The reputational damage is forever. It makes the comms pro and their client look super JV.

@mollytaft crazy take but a friend of mine feels it never hurts to ask…

lots of corporate press / comms people asking me to share drafts of stories before publication (??) these days. baby that is not how it has ever worked

Inspo: x.com/WillManidis/st…

Inspo: itsnicethat.com/articles/eliza…

@paulscherer @eigenhq Thanks to you, Cliff's life plans now include becoming a startup founder in addition to discovering a new dinosaur and naming it after himself, going to space, and becoming a doctor. He's gonna be busy.

@allisonbraley @eigenhq should we bring back cliff?

My stage mom journey continues. After my son Cliff appeared in the @eigenhq launch video a few weeks ago, now my Boykin Spaniel, Penny Lane, appears in this teaser. Stay tuned for the full video next week starring Penny + more BCV dogs Blu, Whiskey and Uma.

@ChristinaPhili5 flex!

Waymo operator just interrupted my trip on rider support to verify that I was over 18. Honestly…. Thank you?!

Most investors talk about founder empathy. @EnriqueSalem actually has it. He's been the developer, the founder and the public company CEO. His take on scaling: if people show up because it's a job, you've already lost. Mission first, always. New episode of Technoventure with @peterahigh: metisstrategy.com/interview/enri…

They're still coming up with never-before-seen sentences every day

@andrewdfeldman @Nasdaq Huge congrats to the whole team! @juliechoi

Ringing the @Nasdaq bell is just the beginning.

This is the event of the year for communicators, so I'm always excited to just be in the room. This year hear from media, influencers and even vociferous comms yappers like myself!