Below, are the links to the information I covered with you in our workshops. I have also placed direct links to the videos mentioned on this page for you to save you time searching for them online. If you have any questions or need to contact me, please reach out to me at nathan@democoach.com or call me at +1.510.579.8530.

For Monday, October 12, please come prepared to deliver your 5-minute pitch. The slides do not need to be beautified or complete. They can be in the form of a ghost-deck with words, phrases, and pictures, but not the finished slides. Monday’s session is mostly about the flow of your story. You will have a few more days to finish your slides before your final pitch.

Here’s the Zoom video recording of our session on October 5:

Here’s the presentation materials:

6 Signals

Ed Wohlmuth wrote the Overnight Guide to Public Speaking in 1983, which led me to use one of his techniques in every single presentation I have delivered since. When you use these 6 Signals with your audiences, you will have an unfair advantage over other presenters who don't:

  1. I will not waste your time

  2. I know who you are

  3. I am well organized

  4. I know my subject

  5. Here is my most important point

  6. I am finished

How to Captivate Investors

Storytelling using a Story Matrix

Compelling Opening Techniques

Value Propositions

To create a simple and easy one sentence Value Proposition, this is the suggested format from Steve Blank, grandfather of the Lean Startup Methodology:

We help X do Y by doing Z where X = who, Y = what, and Z = how

Be sure and replace "help" with a word or words that describe you such as increase, decrease, improve, enable, disable, etc. Also, remember to create a Value Proposition Matrix to see all of the value you provide and keep it up to date.

Some investors are asking to begin the value proposition with an indication of whether you are a mobile app, an enterprise app, a platform, IoT device, or what before you deliver the Value Proposition.

SAME

Whenever you have something that is complex, confusing, a little boring, or "sounds like..." you can easily stand out in the mind of your audience by using SAME:

S = Simile, A is like B

A = Analogy, A is to B as C is to D

M = Metaphor, A is B

E = Examples, such as A, B, and C

Handshake Intro

  1. Who are you?

  2. What does your company do?

  3. Whom do you do it for?

  4. Why do they need or want it?

  5. How do they benefit from it? (or transform or change)

Simon Sinek's The Golden Circle

  1. Why = Purpose: What is your cause? What do you believe?

  2. How = Process: Specific actions taken to realize the why.

  3. What = Result: What do you do? The results of why. Proof!

After you watch the video, be sure and check out his book, Start with Why. It will give you a lot more detail behind what you hear in the video. The book will give you deeper insights into Why starting with your Why is so vitally important to standing out in the mind of your audience, especially investors.

The 5Q Framework for elevator and investor pitches

  1. What do you do and the problem?

  2. Why you or your team?

  3. What does the world look like with you in it?

  4. How do you make money?

  5. What do you need to grow or scale?

Mastering Q&A

If you want to see the types of questions investors like to ask, there is a list of 40 questions for you to learn how to answer here.

Below, are the TED talks that I usually recommend. They deal with things such as body language and will give you insights related to how to prepare for your presentation moments before you walk out on stage and even how to use your hands.

Amy Cuddy TED talk Body Language Shapes Who You Are:

Allan Pease TED talk The Power is in the Palm of Your Hands:

If you have any questions or comments for me, please reach out to me here. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join me. I hope you found the session full of solid nourishment and not empty calories.