The art of the email blurb
How to write a blurb people actually want to forward
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When community members hear of an opportunity at a startup in our network, we often get requests to make a warm intro the founder. We’re always happy to help — after all, this is the ethos of our community. All we typically ask is that they send over a short blurb we can forward to the founder.
This is where things tend to fall apart. Incredible operators with 10+ years of experience forget to mention what makes them special. Engineers send over a laundry list of past roles instead of making the case for why they’re a strong fit for the specific problem the company is tackling. A weak blurb makes it hard to vouch for someone, and in some cases it means it might not get passed along at all.
So, what exactly makes a blurb great, and why is nailing it so important? Let’s dive into the art of the email blurb by exploring:
Why a good email blurb matters
Crafting a strong email blurb
Bonus tips to help you stand out
A full example of a winning blurb
Why a good email blurb matters
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that warm intros are the bread and butter of great opportunities in the startup world. The best jobs flow through offline networks of people, many of whom have spent decades working together, investing in each other, and building long-term relationships. This is not a matter of exclusivity. Rather, in the world of startups where everything is early and unproven, the most reliable signal is words from someone you trust. That’s why an intro from a trusted source can set you apart from thousands of applicants for a position.
Yet, an introduction can only get you so far. A good email blurb pulls its weight across all sides of the intro:
For you, the jobseeker: makes an outstanding first impression
The connector (who you’re asking for an intro): gives them the confidence to circulate your blurb without hesitation, knowing it reflects well on them
The recipient (who you want to be intro’d to): reinforces that this connector sends high-quality people, which benefits you and strengthens the whole network
Most people only focus on the first in this list, but the best blurbs work on all three levels. You want something that lives in the connector’s inbox, ready to be sent, tweaked, and reused because they trust making an intro for you. When it’s a great blurb, it can be passed along 10 times to other founders, hiring managers, and future collaborators, multiplying your visibility and efforts.
Warm intros are undeniably helpful, but thoughtful email blurbs are what continue the conversation.
Crafting a strong email blurb
This is the hard part — how do you prove you’re the ideal candidate in 5-10 sentences? There’s no perfect formula, but answering the following questions can help guide you to success:
1) Why does someone need to meet you?
Founders are busy, and the great ones get interest from lots of jobseekers. Every part of your email blurb should make it incredibly easy for the founder to want to say yes to an intro.
This is not the place to reiterate everything you’ve done (that’s what your Linkedin/resume is for) and expect them to connect the dots to figure out how you can be of value. You need to spell out why you’re a great fit. You should always be pitching yourself, not just mentioning facts from your background and hoping founders see you as a good fit.
Note: if you’re a generalist, this is your first writing sample. Showing you can write succinctly demonstrate the quality of your work and thinking. Prove you’re a great communicator.
Bad: I’ve done a bit of everything across frontend, backend, and product. I was an engineer at Meta before I switched over to Segment.
Better: I was the first engineer at Segment, where I built internal tools and led product work on customer onboarding. I’m a great fit for your team given the way you’re approaching onboarding and self-serve — it’s where I’ve spent the most time driving impact over the past five years.
2) Is it clear what you’re asking for?
What’s your ultimate objective? Do you want an interview with the hiring manager, a quick coffee chat, or a call with an investor? Vague email blurbs are likely to get vague responses (or none at all). Being specific indicates you’ve thought through what you want, and makes it easier for the recipient to say yes and take the next step. Clear asks also demonstrate respect for everyone’s time.
Bad: I’m interested in what you’re building at Blacksmith. I’d love to connect and learn more about what you do.
Better: I’m currently exploring early-stage startups focused on developer tools and would love to schedule time to discuss collaboration opportunities at Blacksmith.
Bonus note: The language you use sets the tone for the partnership you want. Are you aiming to collaborate as a senior partner, or contribute as a junior software engineer?
3) Is it evident you’ve done your homework?
Nothing is more irritating than getting a vague email that feels like it could’ve been copy-pasted to 20 other founders in the same space. It signals lack of effort, which directly reflects on your quality of work. Be specific — show you’ve done your research by mentioning something that stands out in their product, team, or recent launch. People notice when you pay attention.
Bad: I’m excited about what you’re building and would love to connect around open engineering roles.
Better: I’m excited about your work in synthetic data for LLMs (congrats on the recent launch!) and would love to further discuss your open ML engineering position.
4) Is it easy to forward?
Make it as frictionless as possible for the person connecting you. Send your blurb in a fresh, forwardable email like the example below. If they have to dig through a 30-message thread to copy and paste your note, the chances of them actually sending it drop significantly.
Bonus ways to stand out
While not necessary (or applicable) in every blurb, these tips can help you make a stronger impression.
Include quick context on your relevant big wins to establish credibility.
Example: At Scale, I rebuilt our ML platform and cut deployment time by 60%, which unblocked five teams.
Include a short, relevant personal anecdote that ties directly to the company or industry.
Example: I got deep into ML tooling after building a scrappy internal dashboard that ended up saving my team hours each week. It made me realize how much impact the right infra can have.
Link to public works (tweets, blogposts, github) you’ve collaborated on that is relevant to the ask. If you don’t have a side project yet, start here.
Putting it all together
Let’s walk through the example below to understand what makes it a strong blurb.
Clear, forwardable email heading. Connector can simply click “forward”.
Quick context provided on potential intro.
Evidence you’ve done your homework on the founder and platform.
Relevant personal connection to problem space.
Context on big wins, and why the founder needs to meet you.
More context on big wins, and a pitch that highlights you’ve done your homework.
Clear ask.
Links to public works and more evidence of detailed interest.
Next Steps
Now, it’s time to put your skills to the test. Is there a position in our actively hiring database you feel you’re a great fit for? Send us your polished email blurb and we’ll make a warm intro for you if it’s a good match.
This piece was adapted from an earlier blogpost written by Jennifer Yip, Robby Huang, and Henry Su for Renaissance Collective (the predecessor of FYSK).