Life's a Pitch - How to Pitch Investors

Post on 17-Oct-2014

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Guidance on how to pitch your startups to investors

Transcript of Life's a Pitch - How to Pitch Investors

Brent C.J. BrittonLife’s a Pitch

1. Create the story

2. Deliver the experience

3. Refine and rehearse

• intro

• who you need to be

• what you need to say

contents

intro: synopsis

pitching investors isauditioning

for the starring roleof navigating

their financial future

intro: synopsis

You must be confident and knowledgeableabout what you’re going to

do with their money.

intro: assumption

you’ve already got your story straight

intro: your story

1. big problem2. big addressable market

3. great solution4. perfect team

intro: your story

pick the right problem

intro: your story

intro: why pitch?

it’s the people,stupid

who you need to be

who you need to be

who you need to be

you don’t need an MBA

who you need to be

you need the thingsfootball coaches talk about

who you need to be

look sharp

who you need to be

no one can be moreexcited about your company than you

who you need to be

no one can be moreinformed about your company than you

who you need to be

know the investor

do the research

who you need to be

bob & weave(psst… it’s a conversation)

who you need to be

1. they ignore you2. they laugh at you

3. they fight you4. you win

who you need to be

T-shaped:broad perspective

nano expertise

who you need to be

π-shaped: broad perspectivenano expertise X 2

who you need to be

follow a visionwith a sense of purpose

who you need to bedemonstrate 1. mad skillz

and 2. force of willz

(preferably borne of hunger)

who you need to be

knowthedifferencebetween

back stageandon stage

who you need to be

they’re rooting for you

what you need to say

Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?

D'où venons nous? Que sommes-nous? Où allons-nous?

Paul Gauguin, 1897

what you need to say

tell a good, clear, exciting, entertaining, repeatable

story

what you need to say

it’s the money,stupid

what you need to say

1. big problem2. big addressable market

3. great solution4. perfect team

5. ROI

what you need to say

start strong:

state what you do inone sentence

deploy acaptivating hook

what you need to say

this is not a don’t keepus in

what you need to say

be direct

be authoritative

what you need to say

be truthful

what you need to say

focus: micro

• < 20 slides• one take-away per slide• mind the time

what you need to say

focus: macro

Your target market is not everyone

what you need to say

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, man…practice.

what you need to say

demo, test, demo

showing is better than telling

measuring is better than guessing

what you need to say

Of thine own assumptionsbe aware.

When you assume…

what you need to say

notwithstanding passion,argue from data, not emotion

what you need to say

do you have protectable IP?

what you need to say

know a lotabout your capital needs

what you need to say

does your valuationmake sense?

what you need to say

who’s going toBUY YOU?

what you need to say

don’t forget to ask

for money

final thought

try to pitch on Thursday morning

brent.britton@gray-robinson.comblog: brentbritton.com

fb: brent.brittontw: @bcjb