Episode #41: Pitch a Startup Founder with Natasha Mascarenhas
“If you’re not a Duolingo, if you’re not a household name, how do you pitch? Does your company have a radical opinion, something counterintuitive or honest to the point where it will make people pause? […] That could be an interesting way to turn that phone call into an actual story.”
-Natasha Mascarenhas, on what she looks for in a startup founder’s story
In this episode, we chat with TechCrunch reporter, Natasha Mascarenhas, about a pitch that led to a phone call, which inspired a 4-part series on a well-known edtech company, Duolingo! What stood out about the founder that led to such an in-depth look at the company? We’ll dive into how this series developed, leaving you with tips on how to pitch your founder and best prepare them for interviews. Despite the reality of most startups not holding household names like Duolingo, our guest will guide you through making your client stand out by communicating with transparency and authenticity.
In this episode you’ll learn…
How to prepare startup founders for media interviews
Why authenticity matters in storytelling and media interviews
What a TechCrunch reporter looks for in a subject line and email body
Our guest is:
Natasha Mascarenhas is a senior reporter at TechCrunch by way of Crunchbase News, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Boston Globe and BostInno. She primarily reports on early-stage startups in edtech and future of work, through the lens of how culture and strong opinions can shape a company's trajectory. Beyond journalism, Mascarenhas spends her time cooking Indian American fusion recipes, dancing and writing on her personal blog.
Stories we talked about:
How a bot-fighting test turned into edtech’s most iconic brand, Duolingo
Built by a refugee, Enlight’s edtech tool bets it can help students hope harder
Medium sees more employee exits after CEO publishes ‘culture memo’
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Show Notes:
:00 — Jackie introduces our guest.
1:16 — Jackie asks Natasha for an overview of the 4-part story we’ll discuss in the episode.
2:45 — Natasha discusses Duolingo’s origins and what inspired her to expand on the creator’s story.
4:11 — Britt discusses what she liked about Natasha’s lede for the feature story.
4:39 — Natasha gives a tip on what type of founder she enjoys interviewing in the industry.
5:02 — Jackie asks Natasha how the story was pitched to her.
8:27 — Britt asks Natasha about the pitch subject line.
10:33 — Natasha gives a tip for PRs who would like to reach out to her.
12:06 -- Britt asks Natasha if she heard of Duolingo before.
12:41 — Britt asks Natasha for an overview of the pitch and what guided her in writing the series.
13:50 — Natasha, Jackie, and Britt discuss prepared talking points for founder interviews.
27:55 — Jackie mentions what type of founder could most benefit from opening up in a story.
29:58 — Natasha discusses how a journalist can build trust with a founder.
30:22 — Jackie asks Natasha how many calls were involved in writing the article.
30:53 — Britt asks Natasha about the amount of time it took to write the series.
32:03 — Britt asks Natasha the most useful assets PRs can provide for a profile story.
33:41 — Shoutouts! Natasha gives shoutouts to Creighton Vance, Media Strategist at Mission North, and Maggie Philbin of VSC.
35:08 — Natasha describes the best way for a PR to build a relationship with her.
Connect with Natasha Mascarenhas
Connect with Jackie & Britt
