The Pitch!

This is probably the single most important part of your business when beginning to raise money. Sure, the exec summary and b-plan can get you in the door, but this makes it or breaks it once you're in the door. There are really two parts to a successful pitch and I'll handle each one in different posts. There's the elevator pitch, which is your 30 second - 3 minute pitch. It's the ability to generate excitement and get people to ask for more - without being verbose. It's called the elevator pitch, because you should be able to sell your idea and tell your story in about the time it takes for you to get in and out of an elevator in Silicon Valley. Keep in mind, because of the quakes, most buildings in Silicon Valley don't have a lot of floors - so the ride is quick! Then there's the investor pitch. This is when you're invited to come to the firm to present your company. You show up with a slide deck of about 15 slides and sell your company. Each one is equally important in their own respect.

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