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

#1

Post by paulwilsonn » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 3:47 PM UTC

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?

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

#2

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 3:58 PM UTC

[deleted]

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

#3

Post by ungreased0675 » Thu, Nov 06, 2025, 4:23 PM UTC

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.

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

#4

Post by Datail » Fri, Nov 07, 2025, 3:05 AM UTC

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

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

#5

Post by paulwilsonn » Fri, Nov 07, 2025, 3:53 PM UTC

ungreased0675 wrote: post #3

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.

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

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

#6

Post by paulwilsonn » Fri, Nov 07, 2025, 3:54 PM UTC

Datail wrote: post #4

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

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

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

#7

Post by jf22 » Fri, Nov 07, 2025, 4:50 PM UTC

It's not bragging. It's marketing.

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

#8

Post by ashed96 » Sat, Nov 08, 2025, 5:39 PM UTC

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.

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

#9

Post by raw_anon_1111 » Sun, Nov 09, 2025, 6:39 AM UTC

Datail wrote: post #4

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

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”.

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

#10

Post by ashed96 » Sun, Nov 09, 2025, 3:52 PM UTC

jf22 wrote: post #7

It's not bragging. It's marketing.

All marketers ~~are liars~~ tell stories.