Monica Selby
Dave McClure has become notorious for speaking his mind in very–ahem–colorful ways. From his blog and Twitter accounts to his pitch sessions with 500 Startups companies, McClure doesn’t hold back.
“He will go through and tear up people’s accents, and these things feel sometimes politically incorrect, but they are not,” Populr.me CEO Nicholas Holland told The 
Tennessean. “He is speaking the truth. He makes fun of my Southern accent. He called me a hillbilly on day one. First, you’re thinking, I can’t believe he is saying this, but he is basically saying what everyone is thinking.”
Tough love aside, Dave McClure is also one of the most passionate startup advocates out there, championing women, minorities, and startups from all over the world. Here at Nibletz, we’ve learned a thing or two from him, including how to handle a PR snafu.
Here are some of our favorite Dave McClure-isms:
“Find investors who have a clue about the products & services they invest in, who use the products & maybe even write/speak about them”–Startups & VCs: Learn How to Design, Market, and Eat Your Own Consumer Internet Dogfood
“being an entrepreneur is a friggin’ FEAR FACTORY, and a living nightmare every day of the week.”–Fear is the Mind Killer of the Silicon Valley Entrepreneur
“Here’s the secret: PITCH THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION.”–Your SOLUTION is Not My PROBLEM
“There is no better time than the present to build cheap & scalable software-based businesses that make money.”–What Hasn’t Changed: The Internet Keeps Getting Bigger
“DON’T do a startup…you will fail!”–Why NOT to do a startup, because you will fail loser.
“Crap. any minute now these fuckers are going to realize I can’t keep this up very long and then I won’t be a Golden God anymore.” —Fear of Flying
“A ‘startup’ is a company that is confused about: What its product is. Who its customers are. How to make money.” On Quora
“I figured maybe I had some talent as an investor… since it seemed like I was only a half-assed entrepreneur.”–late bloomer, not a loser (I hope)
“We’re happy to discover we have a few black swans, but our MISSION is to groom ugly ducklings.”–Screw the Black Swans: Ichiro is our role model not Barry Bonds
And that tweet he probably wishes we’d forget:
“HAY MISS THANG: female founders, u apply to #w2pitch yet? Only 6 days left.” Poor Dave…
hey, can you at least show the tweet i followed up with AFTER i offended everyone (female, black, gay, old, other)… but thanks for the article ;)