Jesse Pujji
speaker
122 appearances
1 recordings
1 series
first heard Jul 2024
last heard Jul 2024
Jesse Pujji’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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Appearances
You have to connect the dots by looking at a board member or a C-level executive at a place and going, oh, they used to work at this company and I actually know someone. Was there any overlap there? And like, again, you work your network or you work the kind of connections a bit and next thing you know, you're having a warm conversation with someone. And I think
For me at least, that's been the most tried and true way I've started every business.
I think the other thing I also find a lot of entrepreneurs doing... And I think I did this, but then... I don't remember what I did when I was young fully, but... man, if you go to someone and you're just honest and you put your hat in your hand and you say, you know what? Like, I think this is a good idea. And I mean, it's for anyone.
Like if I was starting this hedge fund thing and I didn't have a network, I know someone in finance. I try to find someone senior in the finance world, somebody's friend, somebody's cousin, someone's something. And I'd say, listen, here's the idea I have. Honestly, I don't know if it's a good idea or not. All I want to do is meet people to try to better understand if this is a good idea.
And if so, what do I need to do to make it a real thing? And man, humans are humans. And anytime I've come with that mindset or orientation to somebody, all that's happened is their heart has opened up to me. And they've said, you know what, there's three or four people I think you could connect with. And I think they'd really be able to give you a big perspective.
And if you come in pretending like you know everything and you're pitching everyone and you're selling everyone, it oftentimes has the opposite effect that you think. And I think owning where you are and being authentic in the networking process is a really powerful way to get something going.
Well, again, I say two things. I think, well, one is depending on your age, it does matter where you go to college. And that's like a fun one on Twitter that I always throw at people because people love saying it doesn't. And I can tell you that the biggest meal ticket of my life was going to Wharton. I went to a very average public high school. It was like middle class immigrant parents.
And man, that was a, I felt the step. Like I felt the step in my life and I have continued to feel it ever since. So that's one thing if you're 16 or whatever you are and you're wondering and you're reading this shit, it matters. I think it matters. So that's number one. I think number two is, again, if you're a construction worker, why would you start a business selling to hedge funds?
It just makes no sense. Start a business selling something to construction people. Find the problems in the world you're in. Every business can make money. It's not like selling to construction is better or worse than selling to hedge funds. It's all just what you know.
And then the third thing is, I don't want to get too spiritual here, but I definitely believe the quote that once you put out into the universe what you're trying to get done, it conspires to help you create it. So even if you were a construction worker... And you're like, I do want to do the hedge fund thing. You start talking about it at parties. You put yourself out there.
You ask friends for introductions. You, you will, it may take you longer than it took me, right? It may take you six months to get your first really valuable meeting, but you will get a meeting. And if you go to that person and say, I don't, I'm from the construction world, but I think they should have data on construction and I want to sell it to hedge funds. Like,
people will start to help you and take notice. And I've never, I've just never experienced it. I mean, I don't know about you. I think you're like me. If some random person comes to me through a friend or through even a thing like an uncle's cousin, I usually take a call for 15 minutes. And if they say like, look, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I need some help.
I would say, well, here's a few people like, you know, send me an email and I'll put a little bit of work on that person. I'll say, send me an email, outline it. Tell me what you... And if they don't ever follow up, then I know they're not serious. But then some of them are like, man, they come back, they follow up. I'm like, wow, I met this person. They seem to have a unique energy.
Do you want to meet them? And then I'll check in with that person in a year. And guess what? They have a business and they're running. And so, yeah, I think even in the third case, it is, I wouldn't necessarily, but even in that third case, I think when you put things out into the universe and you're serious, it starts to conspire to help you.
I find that helping people, I mean, it's funny, right? This private equity business, we're basically helping private equity firms assess companies' marketing capabilities, right? And we charge a quarter million dollars a month for our services. It's a very high ticket item. Half of the customers were students. I was older than them. And they're like VPs at these firms now, VP plus.
But I was helpful to them. I prepped them for their interviews. And I just did it because they're two years younger than me. They're like, hey, Jesse, you work in finance now. Can you help me prepare? And that's just, I don't know. That's what I do. I help people. I'm willing to help someone just because if... people have helped me, right?
And I'm just like, okay, now you roll in and imagine they're a VP or principal at Blackstone or pick your favorite. And I'm like, hey, I got a new business. I'm trying to start it. What do you, you know, what do you think is going to happen in that sales conversation? They literally do everything and anything they can to find an opportunity for us to collaborate on something.
And then I get to say Blackstone is a customer or whoever, like, like, So it's just, you know, I think there's a lot to be said about finding ways to be helpful in ways that are true and unique to you.
Again, I think being helpful inauthentically, everyone can tell, but being helpful authentically to the types of people and for the things that make you, light you up or give you energy, I think is a really valuable thing.
You want to do some more off the wall stuff?
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