It all started when I coached a prestigious international accelerator and the CEO wrote a post about the session and ended with the hashtag #perfectpitch.
For me, that was mind-blowing – that he wrote that about me.
He saw firsthand that I helped startups create and deliver a perfect pitch.
Since then, I’ve owned it. Promoted it. Shared it.
Not because I believe in perfection.
But because I believe in what a perfect pitch really is.
In my book:
A perfect pitch is the one that gets you a second meeting.
A perfect pitch is the one that triggers questions.
A perfect pitch is the one that gets you your goal.
Since then I have been promoting #perfectpitch.
We Overcomplicate It
Here’s where most startups get it wrong:
They overcomplicate their key message.
They try to sound impressive.
They layer in buzzwords.
They over-polish to “look like” what they think success sounds like.
And the result?
The message gets buried.
The energy drops.
The pitch becomes forgettable.
I see it way to often:
Startups overloading their pitch with strategy terms, tech specs, or visions that are too vague to land.
That’s why—when I coach founders—I often spend 70% of the session just clarifying their value creation in a simple and clear way.
The top 3 things I focus on during our session:
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What do you solve?
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How does your product create value?
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Why should someone care?
Because here’s the truth:
The faster they understand what you do, the more likely they are to want to know more.
Are you making it simple enough to remember?
Would your pitch make sense to someone outside your industry?
Can they retell your message five minutes later?
How to Nail a #PerfectPitch
If your goal is the second meeting (and it should be), here’s what you should focus on:
- Cut the crap. Say what matters first.
- Show your energy. If you’re not excited, they won’t be.
- Use your own words. Don’t dress it up to sound “investor friendly.”
- Create a clear storyline. Let them follow your thinking and feel the flow.
- Focus on value creation. How are you changing something? What gets better because of you?
Nowadays I get more and more request from accelerator programs just to coach startups on the 1-minute pitch.
Because when you get the core message right—your value creation, your problem, your hook—everything else flows from there.
A perfect pitch isn’t about dazzling people.
It’s about clarity, connection, and curiosity.
That’s what earns the second meeting.
Reminder:
There’s no such thing as a flawless pitch.
But the most effective pitch?
That’s the one that gets you a second meeting.
Aim for clarity. Speak with energy. Get them curious.
Because the moment they say, “Tell me more”…
That’s your #perfectpitch.