My Six Pager Journey

It was December 2008 in Chicago. I was sitting in a presentation workshop for a top-tier consulting company, surrounded by 20 other eager, recent graduates, all hungry to learn effective presentation techniques. Little did I know that presentations would become an integral part of my weekly routine for the next decade. I was presenting at client meetings, project presentations, and even invited to speak at my former high school. Later, when I started my own company in Silicon Valley, I presented in front of 150 venture capitalists at Y Combinator. After I joined Snapchat, I became one of the go-to people to help others with their presentations. “Got 10 min to dry run?” “Yes”. I presented in front of CTO, COO, and VP level executives fairly regularly. 

And then one day…

My boss, an “ex-Amazonian,” introduced me to the concept of Amazon Six Pagers. Over the course of the next six years, I have personally composed or meticulously reviewed numerous six-page documents. What initially began as a tool approached with uncertainty has now evolved into an integral component of my professional toolkit. Applying this toolkit has helped me not only foster internal relationships with critical stakeholders, it has also empowered me in my career, promotions and influence within the company. Today, I leverage these succinct documents not only to outline strategic plans and exhibit insightful findings but also to facilitate consensus-building, foster rich debates, and clarify my thought process. These six-page narratives have unequivocally become a fundamental tool in facilitating effective and efficient communication in my professional realm.

Helping others on their journey with six-page narratives has become a passion of mine!