Browsing Tag
business pitch
16 posts
10 Ways to Create a Successful Business Pitch
Recently, the term "business pitch" has become as popular as the term "startup." A pitch is essentially a business plan that one presents verbally to potential investors of a business. A shorter summary of the complete pitch is an elevator pitch. The startup owner has to clearly explain the business opportunity to the investors, so...
How to Design and Deliver a Business Pitch That Secures Startup Funding
A business pitch is a presentation put together to entice an investor or group of investors. The goal of your pitch is to secure funding to proceed with your value proposition so you can take your idea to the market. Remember, the pitch process is about getting investors to back people; it’s not about backing...
What We Learned From Turning Down a Deal on Shark Tank
When we appeared on Shark Tank to pitch our popular Zipadee-Zip swaddle transition product, we were thrilled to receive three different offers from the sharks. We ended up striking a deal on the show with Daymond John for $200,000 in exchange for a 20 percent stake in our company, Sleeping Baby. The last thing we...
5 Terms That are Killing Your Startup’s Pitch
Whether you’re (virtually) presenting before a group of investors or meeting an angel investor one-on-one via Zoom, the words you use to explain your company and your strategy are critical to securing funding. While the content of your presentation itself is essential, even the best business ideas can be derailed by poor word choice or etiquette. Investors...
Practice Your Pitch: 5 Techniques for Success
Everyone wants to have an effective presentation that really captivates their audience's attention. If you are unprepared and relying too much on a script or reading directly from the slides, you're in for trouble. In order to have a successful presentation, you must communicate with your audience. Communicating with the audience means having the perfect delivery style, and...
How to Pitch a Shark: Everything You Need to Know
If you have an idea for a business, or if you already have a company of your own, then you probably love the show “Shark Tank.” It’s reality TV, sure, but it’s not like a lot of the other junk that’s out there. The people who go on “Shark Tank” are real entrepreneurs with real...
5 Things You Need to Do Before Approaching an Investor
Would you be surprised to know that some of the most innovative startup ideas fail to secure investor funding? Although many startups focus on perfecting their concept, the idea itself is one of the least weighted factors considered by investors. Startup investors listen to pitches constantly, and while they are presented with many “great ideas,”...
5 Tips for Making the Perfect Investor Pitch
You’ve heard it before and you’ll surely hear it again: “What is your elevator pitch?” Compressing passion, data and complicated work into a few key points is no small feat, but it’s necessary for introducing your startup and approaching potential investors. Whatever stage your organization may be in, always be prepared to strike up a...
Overcoming a Fear of Sales as a New Entrepreneur
Let’s face it: sales isn't for everyone. Some people just seemed to be wired in such a way that they can walk up to a door or into a board room and jump right into a winning pitch. They seem to be born with some sort of "X factor" that makes them the perfect salesman....
9 Ways to Win Your Next Pitch Presentation [Infographic]
Considering what a rare commodity human attention is these days, it’s become more critical than ever for entrepreneurs to make an impact while giving a pitch presentation to prospective clients, investors and partners. Interestingly, when it comes to the all-important pitching process, 78 percent of clients admit they’re most influenced by the business that proves how...
Why Starting a Business is Not the Same as Running One
You spend months collecting knowledge and years honing your skills. You garner resources and advisors, you find a location and a name, and before you know it, you're off and starting a business. Already, you feel exhausted ― and yet you have barely just begun. In many endeavors, starting is the hardest part; in business, the...
Don’t Pitch Your Business, Pitch Yourself [Book Excerpt]
Brian Wong graduated from college by age 18, raised $24 million in venture capital by 25 and swears by all of the secrets packed into his book, "The Cheat Code." In it, he offers up advice for shortcuts to success, how to get ahead of your competition and more. The following excerpt is adapted from "The...
Angel Investors Share Tips for Successful Business Pitches
As any entrepreneur knows, having support from angel investors in the early days can make all the difference when it comes to the success, or failure, of a startup company. It’s a boost just to know that someone has faith in you, as a person, and your idea – but real cash means you can...
AOL Co-Founder Steve Case on AppleLink in The Third Wave [Book Excerpt]
The following excerpt was selected exclusively for StartupNation readers from "The Third Wave" by Steve Case. The excerpt shares Case's process pitching his startup company, Quantum Computer Services, to Apple, and the journey that followed. Copyright © 2016 by Steve Case. Excerpted with permission by Simon & Schuster, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. The pitch resonated well with them....
Busting the Myths of Small Business Funding
Securing funding for your startup may seem impossible, but it is no more difficult than making a sale. Fundraising is not impossible, it is an obstacle that requires the proper focus, beliefs, capabilities and strategies to achieve. Below, you will find several common myths that entrepreneurs face while looking for investors, and how to bust all...
The Anatomy of a Pitch Deck
Have questions on what it takes to get funding? Utilizing a pitch deck, share your compelling story in order to influence an audience to fund your business. For those unfamiliar with the term, a pitch deck is a presentation used to present a business plan to potential investors in person or via an online meeting. Why is...