The pattern is strikingly similar. A founder introduces themselves, lists a bunch of features, sprinkles in a lofty claim (“I truly believe we’ll be the #1 app with 1.5M subscribers in five years”), and then asks for a call.

Here’s the problem: belief isn’t evidence. And features don’t differentiate.

Founders often think the product is the star of the show. It isn’t.

The product is the ticket to entry—the proof you can build. But what investors are really looking for is whether you can get people to care.

If your outreach email looks like a features list with a side of belief, you’re signalling inexperience. If it highlights the team, the problem, the strategy, and the evidence, you’re signalling that you understand what it really takes to build a company.

The best products don’t win just because they exist. They win because the right team gets them into the hands of people who care.