Ask HN: Startups should brag less and ship more (guilty as charged)

[paulwilsonn]

Every founder I know (including me) spends too much time on decks and demos instead of shipping. We justify it as “raising awareness” or “community building.” But I’ve never seen a pitch deck go viral-only real products.

Anyone else feel this trap?

[ashed96]

Opposite problem here - all building, no marketing. Now struggling with GTM because nobody knows we exist.

The real trap is thinking it's either/or. You need both engines running.

[ungreased0675]

My first question when screening small companies: Please show me the product, I don’t mind if it’s half baked.

If they can’t show me something, that’s the end of the engagement.

[paulwilsonn]

Absolutely. A tangible product, even if rough, shows execution and commitment. Ideas are easy -prototypes prove there’s real traction.

[Datail]

I completely agree! If they can’t show anything, it makes it hard to believe in their ability to execute and complete the rest.

[raw_anon_1111]

You haven’t seen all of the funded YC “AI” companies with nothing but non technical founders, a pitch deck and trying to hire a “founding engineer” for peanuts with the promise of worthless “equity”.

[paulwilsonn]

Exactly. Early execution speaks volumes - even a rough prototype shows they’re serious and capable of turning ideas into reality.

[jf22]

It's not bragging. It's marketing.

[ashed96]

All marketers ~~are liars~~ tell stories.