Stéphane Nasser is the founder of OpenDeck, a platform which gives you inspiration for creating your startup pitch deck. They let you browse 1200+ slides from famous startups.
We had a conversation with Stéphane, where we asked him questions related to OpenDeck, challenges and struggle of being an entrepreneur and his hobbies.
Let’s Begin!
How did the idea for OpenDeck come about?
Stéphane: As is often the case, the idea came about from a personal need.
Over the past 7 years, I have been many times in a position to (help) build pitch decks for early-stage startups.
I suck at designing slides, so I started to steal inspiration from famous pitch decks available on Slideshare.
However, you still have to flick through each deck to find the perfect design. Not convenient at all.
That’s how I got the idea of a slide collection where you can sort and filter by slide categor: Team, Competition, Market, etc.
What were your initial challenges? How were they solved?
Stéphane: The main challenge for me was building the product. As a business guy who doesn’t code, I had to try several tools until I found the perfect stack: Airtable + Table2Site.
Once I got this right, everything went much faster.
What is OpenDeck’s business model?
Stéphane: OpenDeck is 100% free.
I really wanted to build a tool that anybody can use with zero financial barrier. That’s especially important because OpenDeck addresses early-stage founders, may of whom survive on ramen and no money to spend in tools.
OpenDeck costs me exactly $10 per month. I have an affiliate link on the landing page that brought me exactly $10 so far. So you could say we are break-even.
Who is your target audience and what is the strategy to reach them?
Stéphane: My target is early-stage tech founders who build their own pitch deck and, just like me, need some help for inspiration.
Tech founders are a good target because there are really good pre-existing channels to reach them: ProductHunt and HackerNews. I also leverage existing entrepreneur communities like Facebook groups and Reddit subs.
Lastly, my blog stephnass.com drives a humble but constant traffic towards OpenDeck (and vice-versa!).
How did COVID-19 impact OpenDeck and what are your future plans?
Stéphane: Covid didn’t impact us.
The next step is OpenDeck v2 that allows the user to filter slides by Company name, Year, Funding stage, etc. I have received a lot of spontaneous requests for that feature, so I am really eager to build it.
Hopefully I can release OpenDeck v2 by Q1 2021.
How do you market your business, and which tactics have been most successful?
Stéphane: My tactic is simple: everything I build addresses the exact same target.
This has at least 3 benefits:
- I get 10x better at finding the wording and channels that work
- I gain legitimacy and exposure in the space
- I can promote across all my contents and redirect traffic
Instead of building a MVP, I try to build a MAP (Maximum Audience Possible) that generates compound interests as traffic grows and more products get plugged into the network.
Can you describe/outline your typical day?
Stéphane: I have a day job as a freelance consultant, so of course, I fulfill my obligations to my clients first. This usually leaves me with only a few hours during weekdays to spend on my products and blogs.
The weekends are my saving grace. Much to my wife’s dismay, I do most of my side projects on Staurdays and Sundays.
I have one guiding principle to schedule my day: I do what I like first, and what I don’t like when there’s no time left. That way, I never run out of motivation, and a lot of stuff gets done. It’s unconventional, but it works. Try it!
How do you generate new ideas?
Stéphane: From my own needs.
For instance, the next product I am shipping is OpenVC.app, a VC list that is radically open, free, and collaborative. It’s a problem I have been facing for the past 5 years, so I eventually started to build the solution.
For me, the real problem is not finding ideas, but having enough time to build and market all the ideas I want to build.
How do you define success?
Stéphane: What I like the most is when people spontaneously share my blogs or products. That someone deems my work good enough to be shared with their friends and network is the best sign of approval one can hope for.
Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Stéphane: My father, an Egyptian immigrant who arrived in France at the age of 30 and, thanks to his insane work ethic, retired a successful business owner.
If anything, he taught me the value of hardwork and taking responsibility for my own fate. As I get older, I realize that the right attitude has so much to do with success. I am very lucky for that.
What piece of advice would you give to college graduates who want to become entrepreneurs?
Stéphane: Work hard without counting your hours and without expecting a reward. Every project is an opportunity to grow your skills and expand your social circle. Eventually, you will figure it out and it will pay off.
Your Favorite Book , If you were to write a book about yourself, how would you name it?
Stéphane: Difficult question… Maybe “The Count of Monte-Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas. This book has everything.
I probably wouldn’t write a book about myself, but for the sake of answering the question, I would probably name it with my personal motto: “Die a little less dumb”
Your Favorite Quote
Stéphane: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”
Watch the Interview With Stéphane Nasser on YouTube
We are very grateful to Stephane for giving us his precious time, we would wish him and OpenDeck very well for the future.
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