pitching #startups #entrepreneurs

📢 I hated pitching. I like giving talks, but I always dreaded having such a limited time to arouse the audience, moreover when big stakes were at play.

I don't think I'm good at pitching, but I got better over time. Something that changed a lot my perception was from an unexpected coach, a writer and actress, who told me: storytelling is the only thing that matters.

You can display all your knowledge, the market intelligence, have all the slides a good pitch requires, but the only thing that matters is to tell a compelling story.

You can line up all the features of your product, put the numbers, add some animations, but your customer will only engage if they hear the story of how their life will be better.

There'll be time to review your numbers, go to market strategy, the strength of your team. But the only way to earn that time is by having a deep connection with your audience, to engage them, to lure them into your worldview.

Even while writing this I think how BS this sounds. It's so hard to break the mold, to be authentic, and to overcome stage freight. It's so much easier locking up in our comfort zones, try and repeat.

Did I start enjoying pitching? The honest answer is that I enjoy giving advice more than doing it myself. You know the saying, "those who can't, teach."