It's high season for startup events. Your calendar is probably filling up with pitch competitions, investor meetups, and industry conferences - each one holding the potential for that game-changing connection or perfect investor match.
While these events can be incredibly energizing, my 17 y...
A few months ago, at a major event, something extraordinary happened. A former student approached me, asking if he could give me a big hug.
His eyes were bright with excitement – a clear contrast to the nervous, shivering person I'd coached months earlier. During our first two sessions, he ...
A few months ago ago, I found myself in a familiar position that I just love – coaching another batch of promising startups in a global accelerator program.
After guiding more than 1,100 startups, of which several hundreds through various accelerators and incubators worldwide, - as you can ...
Imagine this:
After months of cold emails, LinkedIn messages, and tapping into every network you could find, you finally land that investor meeting.
Your heart races as you walk into their office. You've practiced your pitch endlessly. Your slides are polished, your numbers are solid, and yo...
Have you ever felt your heart racing just before stepping up to give a presentation?
You're not alone - over 70% of Americans fear public speaking more than death itself, as revealed by a study conducted by the National Institutes of Mental Health.
And I was one of them.
I can still remember...
Everyone's obsessed with metrics these days.
Customer Acquisition Cost. Lifetime Value. Churn Rate. Revenue Per User.
Just look at the startup landscape:
Founders frantically raising more capital to cover churn
Teams building features nobody asked for
Decks full of metrics that investors...
Hey there,Have you ever walked out of an investor meeting feeling like you just wasted precious hours of your startup journey?
Well - you are definitely not alone.
The other day, I was at an investment panel when one of the seasoned investors dropped a truth that hit home.
She pointed out...
"I do my best pitches spontaneously!"
Every time I hear this statement from founders, I get really upset!
Not only is it disrespectful to your audience to show up unprepared, but it's also a dangerous myth that sets founders up for failure.
The Reality Check
When I test these "spontaneous" p...
Hey there!
A few weeks ago, I led a goal-setting workshop for the National Speakers Association. As both a speaker and member, these workshops always remind me how crucial it is to set goals.
Why It Matters
Setting goals isn't just about writing down what you want to achieve. It's about creati...
A few months back, I sat through 16 startup pitches at a local accelerator demo day. Want to know something interesting?
I can only remember three of them clearly. These weren't bad pitches - most founders had solid metrics, clear slides, and decent presentation skills. But only three managed ...
Hi there!
Have you ever noticed how quickly investors' eyes glaze over when you start rattling off metrics and feature lists?
Here's Why This Matters
I've sat through thousands of pitches, and here's the truth: Investors might forget your exact TAM or CAC, but they'll remember how your story mad...
Over the years I have watched thousands and thousands of pitches. And way too often I am sitting in a startup event, watching entrepreneur after entrepreneur step onto the stage, and what do they do? Reading dense slides word-for-word. The energy in the room drops pretty fast, and investors st...
