Demos are how we stay aligned. You show what you built, we talk through it together, and we figure out what's next. Be proud of your work, be honest about where things are at, and make sure everyone walks away on the same page.
The Mental Model
Every demo follows the same flow:
Why → Plan → Progress
- Why we built this — the story behind it. Could be user research, a client request, business intent, whatever. This is what gives context to everything else.
- What the plan was — what we set out to do.
- Where we are now — what got done, what's working, what's not, and how it moves us closer to the goal.
Before the Demo
Do a practice run. Even just a quick mental walkthrough — what's on screen, what you're saying over it.
Write bullet points. Main sections, sub-points, key features, questions you want to raise, questions you think we'll ask. You don't need a script, just a map.
Have references ready. If something breaks during the demo, you should still be able to get the point across. Diagrams, screenshots, Figma, whatever.
Set up recording. Always. Even IRL.
Sharing your flow beforehand is optional. Totally fine to send a doc with your talking points ahead of time so we can see what you'll cover.
During the Demo
Open with greetings → agenda → go through each bullet. Bring the energy. You did the work, might as well own it.
Show the thing. The plan and story can be verbal, but the thing you built should be shown. Click through the user flow, jump between screens if needed. Walk the talk.
Narrate what you're doing. Say what you're clicking and why. Don't assume people can follow what's on screen without you explaining it.
Mention environments. Quick note on when we can access it (staging) vs. when clients can (prod). Helps a lot.
Watch your font sizes. Make sure people can read what's on screen.
Questions mid-demo are welcome. Don't save them for the end.
Capture action items live. As stuff comes up, write it down right there.
End with next steps. Two kinds: hard commitments (specific, with timelines) and soft roadmap (general direction for longer stuff). And always mention how we the cofounders can help.
When Stuff Gets Tricky
Something breaks — communicate what was supposed to happen and that you know this won't be an issue in prod. The point is the direction, not perfection.
Nothing visual to show (backend/infra) — flash a diagram, explain the idea, and you may go deep into specifics. Maybe not too deep, but still mention it because the technical stakeholders might need to align on something.
Scope changed mid-sprint — lead with the change, explain why the pivot happened, then tie it back to how it still gets us closer to the highest-level goal.
A founder disagrees — don't take it personally. Same goal, maybe different take on execution. Figure out where the difference is, get to the root of it, decide together.
You struggled with something — say so. That way we know how to make it better next time.
A feature is behind — call it out. Blocker, dependency, underestimate, whatever the reason. It's always okay to overcommunicate.
Mindset
The founders are with you, not against you. If there's a bug, a misstep, a misunderstanding — we're here to work through it with you. Just lay out the facts honestly.
Context-setting is the alignment lever. We're almost always vision-aligned already. The variance usually comes from how we set context. Set it right and everything clicks.
Be proud, be clear. Talk about your work. Get into technicals. Nerd out. But always make sure the point you're making is obvious. You can share a lot of info without drowning people — the trick is structure.
Don't over-apologize. If something is early, just say "to set expectations, this is an early version" and move on. Don't come from a weak foot.
Don't overcommit. Say what you'll do, do what you say.
Don't cherry-pick. Don't hide problems to make things look cleaner. We're on the same team. Honesty on what matters to the founders matters the most.
This is a skill. Demos get better over time. Every one is a rep.
Pre-Demo Checklist
Quick glance 5 minutes before:
- Do I know my why → plan → progress flow?
- Do I have my bullet points?
- Did I do a practice run?
- Is my screen ready — font size, right tabs?
- Do I have backup references if something breaks?
- Is recording set up?
- Do I know my next steps (hard + soft)?
- Do I know what I need from the cofounders?
After the Demo
- Send a written summary after the recording
- Founders give written feedback after
- Action items from the demo get tracked