Date: 2026-09-15 Source: Email - Michael Houck to Taylor Bernal (taylor@costanoa.vc) Thread: “Rye Valley <> Costanoa” Prior context: Costanoa: Call with Taylor Bernal Locked for Friday Sept 5, John Cowgill (Costanoa VC) and Michael Houck, Michael x Costanoa
Signal
Michael sent a structured proposal to Taylor Bernal at Costanoa. Email was delayed from the Sep 8 commitment (“I just realized this got lost in my drafts. Apologies for the delay.”). Proposal outlines four service options:
- X + LinkedIn: profile optimization and consistent content for John Cowgill, capturing “opinions and insights that pop up in passing on calls but get lost.”
- TikTok + IG: short-form video for John. Referenced Marshall Sandman and Ben Gusberg as comp examples.
- (More options may follow in email body not captured in snippet)
Business Fact
- Proposal sent Sep 15, 7 days late from committed date of Sep 8.
- Michael acknowledged the delay upfront, framed it as a draft issue.
- Deal is still alive; awaiting Taylor’s response.
- Taylor is Costanoa’s internal marketer, John Cowgill is the VC partner who is the content subject.
Watch
- Taylor’s response to proposal
- Whether the delay caused any cooling of interest
- If Taylor asks for pricing detail or a follow-up call