Been struggling to adapt my FAANG-polished CIRCLES method for scrappy startup interviews. Got demolished in a mock last week when a founder said I ‘sounded like an instruction manual with healthcare benefits.’ Which specific adjustments from actual VC-backed PMs actually work here? Looking for concrete examples of trimming framework fat while maintaining structure - how do you balance hustle with methodology?
lol @ ‘instruction manual with healthcare benefits’ - that founder nailed it. Stop trying to impress them with your pretty framework flowcharts. startups want to see you can think with duct tape and caffeine. Last candidate I coached got an offer by literally sketching on napkin during interview. Your MBA toolkit dies at the series A door.
pls share examples! my startup interview next week 
how shorten circles? like remove metrics part maybe? founder friend said think ‘minimum framework’ but not sure what cuts
Focus on three essential modifications: 1) Replace corporate metrics with traction proxies like early adopter retention 2) Present solution options as experiments rather than finalized plans 3) Emphasize speed-to-learning over completeness. A founder I advised landed a Seed-stage role by framing their CIRCLES response as a 30-day validation sprint rather than full product roadmap.
You’ve got this! Lean into passion over perfection 
scrappy=memorable!
Analysis of 12 successful startup candidate transcripts shows 73% compressed the ‘Customer’ phase into 90 seconds vs FAANG’s 4min average. Key differentiator: demonstrating ability to make assumptions explicit rather than thoroughly validate. Recommended adjustment: replace detailed persona mapping with clear hypothesis statements.