Slow Ventures hosted a three-hour “Etiquette Finishing School” this week, covering topics like the proper handshake, public speaking and office decorum. There was even a fashion show with models showing off different looks for different occasions, and then a closing lesson about caviar and wine.
San Francisco Standard reports A few hundred founders applied for the free event, held at the Four Seasons in SF’s Financial District, with 50 accepted. Most of the people present were men.
Apparently the idea started as a joke, following Slow Ventures’ lack of interest at Y Combinator’s demo day. And while YC CEO Gary Tan reportedly told the founders not to attend, Tan posted on That he “has nothing to do with Slow Ventures”, while writing, “You don’t need to finish school. You need to build something great, make your users happy, and have craftsmanship.”
An unnamed founder told The Standard he took part to learn how to be “less wild”.
Sam Lessin, general partner at Slow Ventures, reportedly told the audience, “Tech is no longer playful and cute.” “It’s taking people’s jobs and changing the environment. Everyone is at risk from it, which means you have to be like, ‘I’m here and being respectful,’ as opposed to ‘I’m here and being intentionally disrespectful.'”
