웨스 카오
Co-founder of Maven and the altMBA; writes on marketing and communication
1,100 records in all
3 free questions a day, no sign-up.
25 basic records of 165
Episodes are real events from public sources, summarised by us.
Wes originally published an essay on avoiding backstory scope creep in 2019. After hundreds of readers shared it over four years, she expanded it with new insights and examples in 2023.
LessonContent that resonates with an audience should be revisited and expanded over time to increase its value.
Wes observed that even high-performing job candidates often lose their audience by spending too much time on the 'Situation' part of the STAR method. She realized this 'backstory scope creep' is a pervasive habit that even the most talented professionals struggle to overcome.
LessonIn high-stakes communication, allocate the most time to your actions and results rather than the setup.
An HR agency sent a concise update to Maven about changing healthcare plans. However, they failed to include the actual plans, making it impossible for the client to make a decision.
LessonConciseness is useless if you omit the specific details required for the audience to take action or make a choice.
Wes's direct report, Evan, initially struggled to get buy-in because he was too close to the problem to explain it clearly. After applying a framework to share his logic and rationale, he successfully convinced the CTO to take action.
LessonClear communication of logic is more important than raw intelligence when seeking executive buy-in.
Wes originally wrote about signposting for written communication in 2024 but later realized it had become her default way of speaking. She discovered that starting sentences with a preview makes information infinitely easier to skim.
LessonFounders should train themselves until clear communication becomes an unconscious default habit.
Wes studied the craft of fiction writing specifically to improve her non-fiction marketing copy. She realized that fiction techniques help in making readers feel emotions and translating warmth into digital communication.
LessonLearning creative arts can provide unique tools to make business communication more human and emotionally resonant.
Wes decided to change her newsletter frequency from weekly to bi-weekly after nearly two years. She realized she needed more time to process ideas between posts to maintain high quality.
LessonPrioritize quality and mental space over a rigid schedule to ensure long-term value for your audience.
Wes used to spend hours drafting perfect, passive-aggressive emails to avoid the discomfort of live phone calls. She realized later that trying to explain nuanced points in writing was actually much harder than just hopping on a call.
LessonAvoidance through long-form writing often wastes more energy than a direct, warm conversation.
Wes has successfully created new positions for herself multiple times throughout her career by identifying gaps in organizations. She uses these experiences to teach others how to lean into their strengths and add value to growing teams.
LessonFounders and employees can increase their impact by looking for unlisted opportunities that contribute to the company's growth.
Wes was reviewing take-home projects for senior roles and noticed a candidate submitted a beautiful slide deck. Despite the professional look, she realized the ideas were generic and lacked strategic depth.
LessonA professional appearance can initially trick even experienced evaluators into giving unearned benefit of the doubt.
A French supermarket faced waste issues because imperfect-looking produce was being thrown away. They rebranded the 'ugly' fruit as quirky and interesting, leading it to sell out faster than standard produce.
LessonVisual defects can become unique selling points if they are framed as having character or a story.
An executive claimed a product step converted at 75%, but Wes challenged this based on her knowledge of typical ranges. The executive rechecked the math and found the actual conversion was only 15%.
LessonKnowing the realistic range of a metric allows you to catch errors before they lead to poor strategic decisions.
Wes and her cofounder pitched Lenny Rachitsky to be one of the first four instructors for Maven. Securing him was a major win, and he later became an early investor in the company.
LessonSecuring high-profile early adopters can validate a product and lead to long-term strategic partnerships.
Wes assumed that reaching a senior level or starting her own company would end the need for managing up. However, she discovered that as a co-founder, she still had to manage up to her board, peers, and partners.
LessonSeniority does not eliminate the need for managing up; it often requires even more sophisticated communication skills.
Wes attempted to set up an email automation using Zapier, estimating it would take 30 minutes based on documentation. It ended up taking seven hours over two days because the documentation did not cover her specific use case.
LessonDocumentation rarely covers every edge case, so new technical tasks require significant time buffers.
Wes's Maven co-founder shared honest behind-the-scenes stories about his career failures, including being fired from Udemy. This radical transparency drove 70% of his first 60,000 Twitter followers.
LessonSharing failure can build a massive audience if it is paired with a clear signal of eventual success.
Wes originally published her thoughts on managing meetings and career growth in September 2019. She updated and republished this advice in 2024 to help high-performers stand out.
LessonTimeless communication strategies remain relevant and can be refined over years of professional experience.
Wes analyzed a warm intro note written by a former colleague that felt insincere and lacked personalization. She had suggested a course topic but didn't explain why that specific person was the right fit or address the effort required to build it.
LessonA warm intro is a wasted opportunity if the sender doesn't pull their weight by writing a persuasive, high-effort note.
Wes realized that her mentality of staying silent to stay safe was a barrier to contributing value. She intentionally worked to build the muscle of speaking up and sharing her point of view.
LessonHigh performers must actively unlearn the habit of staying silent to ensure their insights benefit the organization.
Wes used 5-15 second anecdotes and evocative vocabulary during sales calls and internal coaching at Maven. This approach achieved the same positive outcomes as long stories but was much faster and easier to execute.
LessonYou don't need a long narrative arc to paint a picture; short, evocative anecdotes are often more effective in business.
You are seeing 166 basic records. Membership answers from all 1,100 of this master's records.
See membershipMarketing, brand and copywriting
These records are our compilation of public statements and sources. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Wes Kao or any related company. If something should come down, tell us. Takedown request form
