"Not everyone has Sam's deal-making ability. I myself don't. But if you don't, you can let the numbers speak for you."

PG you have hundreds of people applying to make a deal with you (through YC) and once you agree to make a deal--a decision that takes you 20 minutes--you are rarely rejected. Plus, when you are rejected the people who reject you usually fail. I appreciate the modesty but by no means do you seem like a poor deal maker.

I feel that no matter one's starting point they should work on there deal making ability so they can have more then just the numbers. You need the steak and the sizzle.

Just as startup founders in order to make a good product need to be persistent, intelligent and understand the technology; in order to make good deals the founders still need to be persistent and intelligent but also need to understand the components of what it takes to find and close deals.

So how can startup founders learn to be good deal makers?