3 is My Magic Number

or "What I learned from De La Soul"

Whenever I’m working on a pitch, a plan, or really anything important, I try to get it down to three key points. I have learned that if I can’t, it’s probably too complicated.

Once I have my three main points, everything else gets easier—I can riff, expand, contract, whatever the situation calls for.

When I was pitching Castiron, my three points were:

1. The world of work is changing

2. Independent food sellers have probelms we can now solve

3. My career has led directly to this moment

Once I had those three, I added three under each of those:

1. The world of work is changing

   1. Multi-hypenate careers (nurse AND yoga teacher, accountant AND baker)

   2. >50% of workforce works for themselves

   3. >1,000,000 independent food sellers exist

2. The independent food sellers have addressable problems

   1. No system of record

   2. No scalable distribution

   3. No “co workers”

3. My career has led directly to this moment

   1. Community and network effects at About.com

   2. Hyperlocal commerce and moentization at Outside.in and Aol/Patch

   3. SaaS and PLG at Bitly

But, when I started my coaching business, I did it backward. I had pages of notes, a long-winded pitch, way too much going on. Forget about all the copy on my website. Then I forced myself to find my three. And now? Everything’s clearer. My message is tighter. I don’t have to think about it—I just know.

Now, when I’m asked “Why Mark?” for a coach, here are my 3:

1. I care deeply for my clients.

Like, really care. My clients’ success matters to me on a deep, personal level. I have their backs so fucking hard. This is a super power of mine, and something I need to keep an eye on. If you mess with my family, my friends, or my clients, I respond strongly.

2. I’ve had their job.

I know what it’s like. The stress, the pressure, the highs, the lows, the nonsense. Sometimes my calls are at 8 AM on a Sunday. 🤷 There is unlikely to be something we talk about that I haven’t seen before. Real empathy.

3. I have an opinion.

If you want someone who only asks questions and never takes a stance, that’s not me. I’ll listen, but I’ll also tell you what I think—based on real experience.

Once I had these three locked in, everything else got easier.

If you’re struggling to explain something—your pitch, your leadership philosophy, whatever—try getting it down to three. It forces clarity. And once you have them, you’ll never feel lost in your own message again.

What are your three?

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