I explore this question in my short, partly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a pitch designer in deep-tech. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, design, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
"Should I pitch differently to different audiences?" and more...
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A few good questions came up this week in my practice and in response to a previous newsletter: Q: Should I pitch the same way to a top tier VC as to a 'friendly' investor? A: Trying to pitch differently to different audiences stretches you thin. 'Managing versions' in your head makes you self-conscious and less present in the moment. A good rule of thumb: aim to be the same person outside and inside any meeting room. The real question is: WHO IS that person? What do they want? What is their vision for the startup? That's the prep work you truly need to do. Q: I have an unexpected investor meeting with zero time to prepare. How should I present? A: Trust your intuition. Think about it—only a tiny fraction of your decisions are conscious and rational. Almost all are handled by intuition. It’s an automation process you should utilize, not override, particularly when you have to act quickly. "There are undeniable examples where our intuitions deceive us, but that’s because most of the time they do such a very good job. I can show you an optical illusion so good you won’t believe it, but I’ve never heard anyone say, 'From now on, I’ll live my life with my eyes closed.’” Your intuition is already doing the heavy lifting—let it. Q: If not on my solution, what should I focus on in the pitch? A: Try this exercise: Imagine you're a VC investor. You've just finished a meeting with a founder working on Antigen-Drug Conjugates to combat autoimmune diseases (true story). You walk away thinking, "“That was a great meeting! There’s real potential here.” You share your thoughts with a colleague They ask: Why? What made you think that? Is it because you deeply understand the problem of immunosuppression and agree that Antigen-Drug Conjugates are the perfect solution to heal patients and generate substantial returns? Probably not. You don't have the expertise to make that judgment. So, What's your answer? Whatever it is - focus on that. Yours, |
What makes people see value in a thing?
I explore this question in my short, partly visual emails, crafted through my lens as a pitch designer in deep-tech. Join me for insights on effective communication, marketing, design, psychology, and the philosophy of value.
Here's a thought experiment. You are a VC. About to start yet another meeting with a startup that reached out. It’s your third today - your seventh this week. After a couple of minutes of small talk, one of the founders connects their laptop and hits “Present.” You lean back in your chair, ready to listen. Now pause. What do you hope happens next? What could the founder say or do that will make you go: "Yes! This is the one. Not the team from the previous meeting. Not one of the other 22 I've...
If you’re scientifically minded, shouldn’t you question the entire premise of pitching? The idea that you are supposed to TALK people into investing in you. It’s not obvious to me that humans work that way. Don’t get me wrong, language is useful. It made us what we are as a species. But it’s also just noises you make with your mouth. It costs nothing and our subconscious knows it. Look at nature: A female wont "invest" in a mate unless he can present an impressive peacock tail or large set of...
If pitching feels like hard work, you’re probably trying to make investors agree with your solution. That’s not the optimal way to frame your pitch. Though we often ignore that fact - investors don’t evaluate your solution in isolation; they see many startups. That means that subconsciously, they’re constantly making comparisons. Here’s the thing Being selected is not the same as being agreed with. So, you need to rethink your framing: Imagine that, for the investor, each startup meeting is...