Grok just pulled my median email response time this week: 8.3 hours. Some VC’s take 3 weeks. When I see that, I think, “Not gonna make it.”

I can’t compete with huge VC’s on check size. So I’m developing a different edge: customer service.

8 hours is solid, but I’d like to get that down. My email agent that drafts replies should help!

I’m balancing responsiveness with avoiding distraction. If I check my email constantly, I can never do focused work.

So I follow the Tim Ferriss rule: 2 passes through the inbox per day. Sometimes, I stretch that to 3 or 4…don’t tell Tim. 😉 

I keep notifications for new messages off. I learned that trick at an all-staff meeting with Judy Faulkner, the founder of medical software giant Epic and my first employer.

“If you want one piece of practical advice, go into your Outlook settings. Find the one that pops up email notifications and turn it off.”

If Judy can run a $100 billion company that way, it should work for me too!

Sometimes, one of my founders needs a faster response. So I give them all my phone number.

I usually respond to texts within minutes.

The most successful investors respond quickly. The laggards take their sweet time.

I want to win in this business. And winning comes down to nailing the simple stuff, like answering messages.

Now, I’m off to clean out my inbox…

More from the blog:

Meet My Latest Investment: Brick

Why Early Stage Startups Don’t Need Multiple Products

Why Some Founders Raise Millions with a Text — And Others Can’t Get a Single Check: Traction vs. Track Record

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