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Some leaders have what it takes to bring out the best in people! In 2014, Nick Hughes, the CEO, and Founder of the global entrepreneurial platform, Founders Live, came up with a unique and fun way to help early-stage companies.
He started putting on big monthly networking events in Seattle, where he held pitch competitions between 5 pre-selected early-stage companies. Each company got 99 seconds to give their value proposition pitch, talk about what they were building, and explain why it was important. Then they got 4 minutes to answer questions before the crowd voted for the winner.
When entrepreneurs from across the world started asking Nick if they could do the same thing in their cities, he realized that many talented people do not get the chance to become successful because they are disconnected. They also lack the global exposure, information, resources, and growth capital to build a successful digital company. Nick saw an opportunity to build a global community to solve those problems while also celebrating entrepreneurship at the earliest level.
When you have an idea as an entrepreneur and want to get an early version of your product or service going, start testing it with people straight away. Dream big and think about all the possibilities.
The top 3 mistakes people make when they do their pitch:
- Trying to pack way too much into the 99 seconds. (Think about your value proposition and share it briefly and effectively.)
- Not telling an inspiring story. (Craft an impactful story to motivate people to follow you.)
- Not using visually inspiring slides and using bullet points and long sentences. (Prepare your pitch. Use effective and impactful slides to amplify your message.)
Founders Live has online pitch resources available. They also have pitch coaches and hold an event every 3 or 4 months in some cities.
Experiencing those events and participating in them is very valuable for early-stage founders. It allows them to get feedback on their pitches.
If you feel nervous about presenting a pitch, prepare, believe in yourself, and step into it. If you do a good pitch, you stand to gain confidence in your business and grow it.
It is a good idea to practice delivering your message in a safe place and getting some feedback before doing it in front of your potential investors.
Telling a powerful story can change people’s lives and inspire them to go forward and do great things!
Steve Jobs was an icon and a great example of a forward thinker. The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs, by Carmine Gallo, is worth reading. It has a lot of information about innovation and contains a piece about presentations.
Founders Live Prime Time will be starting in Q4. It is a global series of competitions focused on the continents. Five winners from the city-level events will be the finalists pitching at that event. The vision is for the continental events to be big celebrations of entrepreneurship.
Links and resources:
Find Nick Hughes on LinkedIn
Books mentioned:
The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo
The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
