Mastering Your Pitch

🚀 Module Overview

This module focuses on developing and refining startup pitches for different audiences—investors, partners, and customers. Drawing from the experiences of guests Eli Finn and Xavier “Xavi” Verdu, the lesson explores how to prepare, practice, and personalize a pitch so that it resonates with each listener. You’ll learn why effective pitching begins with audience awareness, honest storytelling, and memorable visuals or props. By the end, you’ll have a solid framework for crafting and delivering pitches with confidence and impact.

💡 Key Learning Outcomes

1. Understand Different Pitch Contexts: Recognize how pitches vary when addressing investors, potential partners, or academic audiences.

2. Structure & Conciseness: Learn how to build a pitch around key points (problem, product, traction) and convey them succinctly.

3. Personal & Brand Alignment: Discover how to match your company’s personality with your own presentation style.

4. Practice & Feedback: See why intense practice and brutally honest feedback loops are vital for pitch success.

5. Leveraging Visual Aids: Explore the role of slides, demos, props, or attire to reinforce your pitch’s message and stand out.
   
   

🎙 Special Guests

• Xavier “Xavi” Verdu – Founder of Fútbol Play (Foot Play), an app for booking soccer fields and tournaments in Costa Rica. Early-career MBA from San José State, experienced in pitching and startup competitions.
  
  

• Eli Finn – Program Manager for the SJSU SpartUP Incubator, with years of experience in supporting student founders, organizing pitch competitions, and mentoring early-stage startups. 

📌 Key Discussion Topics

1️⃣ Crafting a Strong Opening & Closing

• Introduction Matters: Start simple—introduce yourself, greet the audience, and briefly state your venture.

• Closing Impact: Memorize your final line or takeaway; show confidence and clarity in summarizing your pitch.

Action Step: Write down and memorize the first and last sentence for each of your pitch “sections” (e.g., problem, solution, go-to-market).

2️⃣ Aligning Pitch Style with Audience & Brand

• Know Your Audience: Tailor your language, slides, and tone for each setting—investors, customers, or academic judges.

• Startup Persona: Personify your startup. Imagine how your company “dresses,” talks, and behaves—then match your pitch style accordingly.

• Honesty & Authenticity: Present a story that’s real to who you are and what you’ve built, rather than over-inflating claims.

Action Step: Write a short paragraph describing your startup as if it were a person (personality traits, values, style). Use this perspective when revising your pitch.

3️⃣ Building a Focused Pitch Deck

• Key Slides: Keep it simple—problem, solution, what you’ve done so far (traction), and the actual product (even if it’s just an early prototype).

• Data & Traction: Show any proof that you’ve tested your idea—a small pilot, survey results, or early sign-ups is enough to stand out.

• Visual Consistency: Use clear visuals or minimal text. Emphasize the points you’ll say, not just paragraphs on a slide.

Action Step: Create or revise a concise pitch deck (5–7 slides). Ensure each slide’s main header is exactly the phrase you plan to say when presenting it.

4️⃣ Practicing & Iterating

• 100% Rehearsal: Even if the final delivery seems spontaneous, underlying it should be rigorous practice (memorizing key phrases, hooking your audience).

• Brutal Feedback: Seek a mentor or friend who will give unfiltered criticism. Use that to refine both your deck and delivery.

• Pivoting In Real-Time: Once your core pitch is internalized, you can adapt to questions or cues from the audience.

Action Step: Schedule at least two mock-pitch sessions with a mentor or classmate who will offer tough feedback. Record yourself on video for self-review.

🛠 Actionable Takeaways & Frameworks

✅ The “But / Therefore” Narrative

• Avoid: “This happened, then this happened, then this happened…” (flat story)

• Use: “This happened, but… therefore…” (dynamic story that keeps attention)

✅ Slide-by-Slide First Sentence

• Write a single phrase or headline for each slide—make this the exact phrase you speak.

• Helps you keep track of flow and sets a clean structure.

✅ Persona & Visual Identity

• Bring consistent colors, logos, or props to your presentation so you’re memorable.

• If it matches your brand, consider branded attire (jersey, shirt), a relevant demo, or comedic prop.

✅ Mastering Q&A

• Anticipate common objections (e.g., “Why this market?” “Why you?”) and address them preemptively in your pitch.

• Keep extra slides or data handy for deeper questioning.

🎯 Founder Challenges: Apply What You’ve Learned!

1. Persona Pitch Practice

• Write 3–4 lines that capture your startup’s “personality.” Present it aloud to a classmate or mentor.

• Have them describe your tone or vibe afterward. Does it match your intended persona?

1. One-Slide Product Demo
   
   

• Create a single slide that clearly shows or describes your product.

• Deliver a 30-second explanation of what it is and why it matters—record yourself, and review how simple you made it.
  
  

2. Brutal Feedback Session
   
   

• Invite a trusted critic (or friend known for honesty) to tear apart your pitch.
  Edit your slides and script based on their feedback, then pitch again until major concerns are resolved.

🚀 Final Steps & Wrap-Up

• Keep Iterating: Your pitch evolves as your startup does—update slides and narrative regularly.
  
  

• Stay Connected: Ask mentors, peers, or incubator programs for pitch reviews at each milestone.
  
  

• Celebrate Small Wins: Even small competitions or class presentations count—use them to test ideas, build credibility, and sharpen your presentation skills.

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