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If the business and team were phenomenal, the attire wouldn’t have mattered. However, dressing appropriately for a meeting is an easy way to demonstrate that t
by PragmaticPulp 6y ago
If the business and team were phenomenal, the attire wouldn’t have mattered.
However, dressing appropriately for a meeting is an easy way to demonstrate that the person is taking the situation seriously and being respectful of the other parties. If someone can’t make the effort to dress appropriately for pivotal VC meetings that decide the future of their company, it’s likely they won’t bother taking other meetings seriously either: Meetings with customers, partners, recruits, and so on.
As a VC, you don’t want to fund someone who will go around being disrespectful, intentionally or otherwise, thought your network. We like to glorify the exceptions like Steve Jobs, but the reality is that dressing appropriately to show respect for your business partners is a fact of life.
In 2021, it’s cheap to dress in a presentable manner. You don’t need a suit and tie (west coast, anyway) but you do need to make a basic effort.
- CalChris 6y agoYes. I saw a presentation by the CEO of Western Digital. He was dressed in a polo shirt and blue jeans. But he was in fact very well dressed and if I were in a Brooks Brothers suit, he would have looked more professional. His presentation was effortlessly on point. I don't think he microdosed before the meeting. Moreover, I thought after the presentation, yeah, I want to work for that guy. I don't think dress has anything to do with this firing.
- shard 6y agoI think there are nuances beyond just the type of clothing. I would guess that the CEO of Western Digital was wearing clothes that were well-fitting, of a modern cut and style that showed he was aware of trends, and of a quality that indicated expensive clothing. This was probably paired with a nice leather belt and dress shoes, matching socks, and perhaps a nice analog watch. Also, he was probably clean-shaven and had styled his hair. Now, if you told me he looked like RMS on a bad day and still looked more professional than you in a Brooks Brothers suit, I would be really surprised.