most important: 1) make it short. 1) Now make it even shorter 2) Make it memorable 3) signal: signals status or credientials through language # Lessons from the world best pitchers Also: Oren Klaf- pitch anything ### [[Marc Andresssen]]’s Don’t start with features. Start with the massive wave of change you’re riding Paint the inveitable future: - explain how the world is changing fundamentally. Then show why your solutio is inevitable in the world - Demonstrate why you’ll win Here what I look for - Can you explain the technical moat in non-technical terms - Understand second and thirs order effects of your technology? - Is this a vitamin or a painkiller? Show me the burning problem Bad Version: 'We use AI to detect threats.' Strong Version: 'Every company is becoming a software company. That means every company is now facing nation-state level cybersecurity threats. Current solutions were built for a world of predictable attacks. We've built the first adaptive defense system that learns and evolves like human attackers do.' ### Brian Chesky's Session - CEO of [[airbnb]] "The secret of great pitches? Make the impossible feel inevitable.” - paint the status qup as absurd - share a personal story that shows why this has to exist - create an ‘aha’ moment through demonstration example: Imagine a world where every extra room is a hotel and every home can be a unique destination. Crazy? Well, let me tell you about Joe in Brooklyn who made his rent last month by sharing his spare room...'" ### Drew Houston's "Let me show you something counterintuitive about pitching: complexity kills. The harder the technology, the simpler the pitch needs to be.” 1. Start with universal frustation 2. Show solution in action 3. Reverse the technical brillance underneath for Dropbox I didn't pitch sync technology. I showed a single folder that magically updated everywhere." Bad: 'We're a payments API platform' Good: 'We help businesses accept money from anyone, anywhere, in 2 minutes of code' ## Principles The Information Hierarchy - Most founders pitch bottom-up: features → product → market - Elite founders pitch top-down: inevitable future → why now → unfair advantages - Example: Elon with Tesla started with "Sustainable energy is inevitable" not "We make electric cars" # The Art of Pitch Storytelling 🎭 backlink: [[Storytelling]] , [[Persuasion]], [[project boston]] *A guide to crafting stories that stick* ## The Opening [[Hook]] Remember, you're painting a picture they can't forget. Start with something that hits home: "Remember your last 3 AM alarm? That desperate reach for coffee? Now imagine never feeling that way again." ## Make Numbers Your Friend Don't just say "a lot of time" - make it real: - "3 hours every single day" - "That's 1,095 hours a year you're getting back" - "Imagine what you could do with an extra 45 days" ## The "[[Holy Shit]]" Factor Here's where you drop the mic: - "Nature has already run this experiment" - "People with this mutation already exist..." - Let that sink in for a moment ## Create [[FOMO]] That Matters You're not selling fear - you're offering a seat on the rocket ship: - "This is happening. The only question is who will help us prove it first" - Make them feel the opportunity cost of not being involved ## The [[Inevitability]] Play Make them nod along: - "Just like we optimized food intake, of course we'd optimize sleep" - "When we succeed, people will look back and say 'of course'" ## Time Pressure (But Keep It Real) Paint the picture of readiness: - "The science is ready" - "The team is ready" - "The lab is ready" - "We just need $100K to demonstrate what we already know works" ## Credibility Boosters Show your receipts: - Top-tier lab backing - Natural proof of concept - Let your credentials do the heavy lifting ## What Makes It Sing 1. Don't explain - reveal 2. Don't pitch product - pitch inevitability 3. Make complex ideas feel obvious 4. Show why now is THE moment --- **Related Notes:** - [[Storytelling]] - [[Persuasion]] - [[project boston]] - [[FOMO]] - [[Inevitability]] - [[Nature vs. Nurture]] *Remember: A great pitch doesn't feel like a pitch at all - it feels like an obvious truth they just haven't realized yet.* #pitching #storytelling #persuasion #presentation