What is Haiku Deck?

We believe telling a story, sharing an idea, or pitching a business is about the best thing humans get to do. Haiku Deck makes it fast, easy, and fun to create a flawlessly beautiful presentation so you can look as good as you sound.

What’s your traction been like thus far?

We’ve been top iPad productivity app in more than 40 iTunes markets around the world. We’ve got nearly 1MM downloads in just over a year on the market.

What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you started Haiku Deck?

Our biggest mistake in the first few months was not focusing enough on instrumenting the app so that we had great visibility into the way our users engage with us. We’ve got it ironed out now, but it was a painful lesson when things started to take off.

What’s a hypothesis that you’ve had that has failed? And how did you respond?

We launched as a celebrity-based Facebook game studio. We responded by pivoting from that to social video and from social video to mobile-first productivity. Has been quite a journey!

What’s your favorite startup in Seattle? (Besides your own!)

I’ve always loved Moz. I think Rand has built an amazing product, community, and team. He’s an awe-inspiring leader.

What’s your favorite thing about being an entrepreneur?

I love the proximity to customers. Makes me happy when we can address a major pain point for users. I also love building our awesome team of world-class folks.

What’s your favorite local sports team?

Sounders!

If your company were an animal, what would it be and why?

I’m going to have to go with a crane. They’re simple, beautiful, and fun.

If you were to take Haiku Deck on a date, where would it want to go?

Seattle Art Museum to look at a photography exhibit, then to the Moth showcase to hear some stories being told live in front of an audience. I think we’d probably want to wrap it up with a round of tequila shots and a karaoke sing-along.