Ask a Partner for a Small Favour
Added 2026-10-31
Shrink the ask to ten minutes of their time to make yes easy.
I want a small favour from a partner — an intro, a dataset, or a look at a draft. I will give context and our relationship. Write a message: 1) one line on why them, specific to their experience or role; 2) shrink the ask to a ten-minute version; 3) what it unblocks for me; 4) an easy way to decline; 5) what I do immediately if they agree. No long pleasantries.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
小忙的关键是「十分钟能搞定」。
Try tweaking it
- Have it state how the hypothesis could be falsified before discussing execution.
- Split the plan into a one-week testable experiment.
What you should get
- A small testable experiment with a failure threshold
- Costs, risks, and what needs outside confirmation
Common mistakes
- Asking for a "full business plan" and getting unverifiable optimistic assumptions.
- No failure threshold, so you never know whether to continue.
How to check the output
- There is a clear failure threshold, testable within a week.
- Costs, assumptions and risks are listed separately.
Where it works
- Good for: turning business assumptions into a small testable experiment with a failure threshold first.
- Watch out: for pricing, contracts and legal points, treat output as a draft needing professional review.