First Impressions
You only get one chance to make a first impression. It's a cliché because it's true - and I learned this lesson the expensive way.
I fucked up by rushing a product launch. We had an important demo with potential investors. Instead of taking the extra week to polish, I pushed to ship on time. "We can fix it after," I told the team.
The Demo That Wasn't
The demo crashed three times. The UI was buggy. Features didn't work as advertised. The investors were polite, but their body language said everything.
We fixed everything the following week. The product was solid. But those investors? They'd already moved on. They never responded to our emails about a second look.
The Cost of Shortcuts
That one rushed demo cost us:
- A potential $2M investment round
- Credibility with key investors in our space
- Word-of-mouth referrals they would have made
- 6 months of additional runway time
All to save one week.
What I Learned
First impressions are permanent. You can't un-ring that bell. Whether it's a product demo, a pitch meeting, or a new hire's first day - invest the time to get it right the first time.
Now my rule is simple: If it's someone's first experience with us, it needs to be perfect. Not good enough. Not "we'll fix it later." Perfect.
This means:
- Delaying launches until they're truly ready
- Rehearsing demos multiple times
- Testing every customer touchpoint
- Over-preparing for important meetings
- Making sure new hires have a flawless first week
Key Takeaway: First impressions are permanent. Whatever time you think you're saving by rushing isn't worth the opportunity cost of a bad first impression.