The Number 1 Pitfall Entrepreneurs and Incubators Face in their Process
- Published on January 10, 2020
There is a common problem that we’ve been seeing as we work with incubators, entrepreneurs, and other aspiring leaders: Pitching, the skill that will make or break your chances at building your business, is treated as an afterthought. Yet — what is the most common fear people have second to death? Speaking in public!
Pitching isn’t something you can wing. Pitching is a craft. How many times have you glazed over when your colleague tries to sell you on his latest “brilliant” idea? How many pitches have you heard that actually last in your memory?
People who are masterful at pitching make it look easy — much like Meryl Streep makes inhabiting characters seem effortless. As a fellow actor and professional storyteller I’ll let you in on a little secret — IT’S NOT EASY and it’s NOT EFFORTLESS! However, you can set yourself up for success by committing to learning and honing your own personal craft.
In order to excel at pitching, you must master many foundational skills. Here are a few:
STORYTELLING
You must understand how to construct your message to hook your audience. Data matters, but no one is investing in charts and graphs — they are investing in YOU.
SELF-AWARENESS
You must learn how to navigate your own fears, doubts, and insecurities. The brain and nervous system is not designed to give you an easy time when you are in high stakes scenarios. Empower yourself with self-knowledge so you know how to navigate the unexpected.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Do you know how to read a room? Do you know how to pivot in-the-moment based on your audience’s needs? Pitching isn’t a 1-way activity. It requires deep listening, empathy, and service.
Here’s what we’ve noticed:
- Individuals wait until they have a meeting to start refining their pitch. This is a MISTAKE. Imagine waiting until the week before your best friend’s wedding to attempt to fit into your dress!
- Incubators touch upon pitches, yet the final hurrah is a demo day where founders are required to pitch! Most pitches we see are unsuccessful. Founders are visibly nervous, stuck in their heads, and fail to connect with the invited guests.
- Intelligent, confident, brilliant women SHRINK or PUT ON A COAT OF ARMOR the second they step into a room full of investors or other business prospects. Let’s be real — the majority of investors are men. Instead of standing and speaking authentically, most women we see shoot themselves in the foot, and further contribute to the horrific statistics we are all trying to fight.
So what’s the solution?
Don’t wait until it’s too late. Hone your skills NOW. Build your muscles NOW. That way, when opportunity knocks (and it will) you can be certain you will show up fully, leave an authentic lasting impression, cultivate a new relationship, and set yourself up for success EVERY TIME — no matter if the answer is an immediate yes or no.
If you are a woman (sorry, gents, we’ll get you another time!) who is ready to do the work in order to change the world for the better, join us for a special online bootcamp Jan 25th/26th:
https://www.wholeselfsystems.com/pitch-like-a-bitch
Trust us — these skills will transform your entire career (and life) for the better. We can’t wait to work with you!
