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Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says Replit “would have probably died if I wasn't…

2026-07-20 · 19:21 UTC ·@a16z ·1 min read

Brief

Amjad Masad argues founders must master storytelling to scale and survive; he credits a narrative larger than the company for Replit’s existence and says founders should “meme a dream into reality.” He describes beating stage fright via improv and storytelling classes and, in a16z's 2026-07-20 interview with Erik Torenberg, gives tactical playbook items (make mistakes early, building in public, platform strategy, and lessons from an AI production outage).

Why it matters

Amjad Masad (Replit CEO) says Replit “would have probably died if I wasn't telling a story that is larger than the company itself” and urges founders to “meme a dream into reality” (a16z interview published 2026-07-20).

Key details

  • Masad overcame “terrible stage fright” by taking improv and storytelling classes in New York and endorses exposure therapy: “Anything you're afraid of, just go do more of it until you're desensitized.”
  • In the a16z interview with Erik Torenberg Masad outlines tactical advice with timestamps: 00:50 meme a dream; 04:00 make your mistakes early; 05:23 building in public; 15:09 the day AI deleted prod; 19:37 X vs Instagram vs YouTube; plus advice for Anthropic/OpenAI and how to ‘become uncancellable.’
Source evidence

Amjad Masad, CEO of Replit, on why founders have to understand storytelling:

"I think Replit would have probably died if I wasn't telling a story that is larger than the company itself."

"If you're trying to meme a dream into reality, I think you have to play that game."

"I had terrible stage fright. I went and took improv classes in New York, then took a storytelling class. I'm a big fan of exposure therapy. Anything you're afraid of, just go do more of it until you're desensitized."

@amasad @eriktorenberg

Video

a16z (@a16z)

Amjad Masad on Going Direct & Founder Storytelling

Replit CEO Amjad Masad joins a16z's Erik Torenberg on how he went from crippling stage fright to one of the most famous CEOs on X, which platforms actually matter and why, and what founders get wrong about building in public.

00:50 Memeing a dream into reality
03:02 Conquering stage fright
04:00 Make your mistakes early
05:23 Building in public
06:41 The authenticity edge: Elon, Zuck, Trump
08:42 Become uncancellable
10:47 Advice for Anthropic and OpenAI
15:09 The day AI deleted prod
17:39 Who should go direct?
19:37 X vs Instagram vs YouTube
22:52 Go direct role models

@amasad @eriktorenberg

Video

— https://nitter.net/a16z/status/2079250292420571308#m