---
title: "Can You Explain Your Startup in One Simple Sentence?"
section: "Customers"
sectionId: "customers"
date: "2026-05"
---

## The OSS Rule

Jason Calacanis calls this the **OSS Rule — One Simple Sentence**.

Any great company can explain what they do in one simple sentence. At its core — what does your company do? No buzzwords; just a clean, clear, and crisp sentence that anyone could understand.

Investors see convoluted, buzzword-heavy descriptions constantly. The ones that stand out are the ones that are simple.

## Examples

| Company | Bad | Good |
|---|---|---|
| **Slack** | "We're a future of work startup leveraging software and integrations to improve workplace communications for the long-term." | "We sell chat software to startups." |
| **Coinbase** | "We're leveraging the blockchain and decentralised technologies to allow any investor to get exposure into the world of cryptocurrency." | "We help people invest in crypto." |
| **Uber** | "We use AI and machine learning to connect riders and drivers, disrupting the worlds of transportation and mobility as we know it." | "We help you get rides faster and cheaper." |

## The Brand Consistency Check

Once you have your one simple sentence, ask:

- Is the messaging consistent across your website, Twitter, TikTok, and other channels?
- Can **every employee** explain what you do in one simple sentence?
- Does your sales team speak clearly?

Einstein famously said: *"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."*

Winning founders apply this to their explanation *and* to product development. If you cannot say what your company does simply, your customers will not understand your value.