What this is
This page explains what it takes to become a Leslie Founder. It’s a guideline, not a checklist. Final decisions are made by our coaches based on your application.
We review four things:
- Growth Mindset
- Execution Ability
- Quality of Idea
- Scalability
Quick bar (read this first)
- [ ] 15+ customer interviews with your target customers (at least 15 minutes each). B2C teams usually do significantly more.
- [ ] Team covers domain expertise, technical and business skills. One major gap is okay; more than one is a red flag. Teams of 2+ preferred to solo founders.
- [ ] Clear problem and initial target customer. You can point to the exact moment the problem happens and who has it (and who within the organization if your customer is B2B)
- [ ] Real differentiation. You can explain how your approach is different/better from what exists now (and from past failed attempts).
- [ ] Scalable path. Serving more customers should not require hiring a person for each new customer or opening a new location for each new city.
- [ ] Currently at NYU. At least one core founder must be a current NYU student (from a degree granting program) or staff member.
1) Growth Mindset
What it means
You learn from real customers and you change your plan ("pivot") based on what you learn. Feedback from your customers is not a box to check; it’s the source of your best ideas. When customers tell you something doesn’t fit their workflow, you adjust. When you hear a pattern across interviews, you test it. This loop—talk, learn, adapt—is what moves teams forward fastest.
What we look for
- 15+ in-depth interviews with your initial target customer (ITC)—the first, narrow group you plan to serve.
- Clear notes and what you changed because of those interviews.