Last week I wrote about why AI can’t replace you in a pitch - and that is because AI can’t replicate your authenticity (yet...).
For this week, my audience asked me to do the natural follow-up...:
How to start sounding like the real you.
Even experienced founders fall into the trap:
“We’re excited to disrupt…”
“It’s a scalable, innovative solution…”
“We’re leveraging cutting-edge technology…”
And I get it.
I’ve done it too.
You’re worried about sounding too casual. Or too unpolished. Or just… too human.
So you shift into pitch mode.
Your voice tightens.
Your language gets safer.
Your personality fades.
Why?
Because when the pressure’s on, we turn to performance instead of presence.
And when you’re performing, you’re hiding. (might sound harsh - but it is true)
I used to polish every presentation to sound smart, to impress - and it took me a long time before I realized that I had taken out the authenticity of it.
Because:
It was safe.
It was structured.
It was also forgettable.
And I hear it all the time from founders:
“I didn’t want to sound unprofessional.”
“This is what everyone else is doing.”
“I asked ChatGPT to write it.”
Here’s the trap:
When you filter for safety, you lose the very thing that makes you stand out.
The cost?
No connection.
No trust.
No momentum.
Because authenticity isn’t just about being honest. It’s about being more of yourself.
More specific.
More human.
More real.
Want to sound more like you? Start here.
These are the 8 exercises I’ve used with over 1,200 founders - and still use myself:
-
Voice Memo Drafting
Record yourself explaining your idea to a friend. No slides, no script.
You’ll capture your natural tone first. Then you shape it for clarity.
(Most people do this backwards.) -
The “Friend Test” Rewrite
Take one formal line and rewrite it like you’re texting someone who actually knows you.
“We’re revolutionizing X” → “Here’s what we’re building - and why it matters.” -
Remove Every Buzzword
Highlight every startup cliché. Replace each one with something real and specific.
“Innovative platform” → “We built this after seeing 100 teams getting stuck doing this manually.” -
The Mirror Pitch
No slides. No script. Just you, the mirror, and your story.
→ You are your biggest critic. So when pitching in the mirror, you will directly see when you are not yourself anymore.". -
Read It Out Loud
If it feels weird to say out loud, it is.
→ Edit you pitch to reach clarity, not to boost your ego. -
The “One Person” Rule
Picture one smart, skeptical friend. Pitch to them only.
→ It pulls you out of broadcast mode - and into connection. -
The Unpolished Paragraph Drill
Write one paragraph with no backspacing. No editing. Just raw thoughts.
→ This is where your voice lives - clean it up after, not before (love this). -
Tell a 45-Second “Why Story”
Explain WHY you started, in 45 seconds. No jargon, no polish.
→ That’s the part investors connect with - not the market size slide.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to sound impressive. You have to sound like yourself.
That’s who investors back.
That’s who people follow.
When your message and delivery sound like the same person - people trust you.
And when people trust you, they invest.
So turn the volume up on your real voice.
Show up as the founder only you can be.
That’s how you get remembered.
That’s how you get funded.
Wish you all the best & See you next week!