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This week, Maven co-founder and executive coach Wes Kao shares her framework for helping founders work within their natural strengths and weaknesses to communicate more effectively. “You see founders of all types, styles, and idiosyncrasies being successful. It’s more about what makes you you, instead of trying to copy someone else and having those tactics fall flat.” Wes Kao believes communication is a founder’s most underrated skill. She co-founded Maven, the platform for live, cohort-based courses and the altMBA with Seth Godin. Now she’s an executive coach, and her experiences as a founder shaped a core concept of how she advises founders to think about their communication style: aligning how you speak with who you are and learning how to make your ideas land with others more effortlessly. She calls it personality-message fit. In a new essay on The Review, Kao shares her playbook for refining your communication style in line with your natural personality traits, whether you’re persuading investors, managing a “spiky” co-founder, or leading a growing team. Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn: - Why authenticity isn’t enough. Kao argues “be yourself” is too simplistic. The real work is understanding your communication baseline — how you naturally show up — and adjusting from there.
- The 30-second prep habit. Kao’s solution to preventing unclear communication is a short mental checklist before speaking that instantly sharpens your message.
- How to read the room. Awareness isn’t a talent, Kao says, but a learnable skill. Kao shares how to spot cues, gather feedback, and iterate in real time.
- Decoding vague feedback. She breaks down how to take general advice like “be more strategic” into clear, actionable steps.
- Why your spikes are your advantage. Kao urges founders to own their quirks and strong opinions, rather than sand them down in an attempt to appear inoffensive to others.
It’s a practical, actionable guide for founders who want to lead better by communicating better — in their own voice. Thanks, as always, for reading and sharing!
-The Review Editors
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