Strolling around many meet-ups here in Amsterdam, I got an invitation to attend "the Pitch Club".
To start, a few rules to begin with:
#1 DO talk about Pitch club
#2 No seriously, DO talk about it
#3 If this is your first time at Pitch Club, you HAVE to pitch
The guy within the organization, and criticizing your pitch as well as helping you with it, is a previous employee of Apple. Who then leaves the job to travel the globe speaking on conferences.
He first tells us a bit about his background, how the rumor had it, that if you're in the elevator with Steve Jobs and tell him about what you do, and Steve doesn't like it, you'd be fired.
He expresses his doubts about whether this being true or not, it does make for an interesting mindset since everyone walking around in Apple Land, has put a lot of thought and energy about their own story and what they do what they do.
Besides giving the people some tools like "do not tell us to "imagine" things", complete your pitch within 30 seconds, describe a situation where you fulfill a need or create a scene like "wouldn't it be nice when/if...."
We all pitched. He gives some great constructive criticism.
After this part, I ask him about why certain pitches stand out and makes them remember able.
And this is where it became even more interesting, because it's one of the main discussed topics on this forum I feel;
"Only the "real" entrepreneurs can bring the feeling, because they are building something with their whole body, all their energy. As opposed to the "wantrepreneurs" who mainly are thinking from a "what would the other person like to hear" mindset.
Then he goes on, on explaining the differences he notices within cultures from an Entrepreneurial mindset.
"The Dutch are the worst, they often do startups because they think it's "fun". That's why there is a typical "Dutch-pitch", because they often lack the heart in it. Exceptions being the diehards."
"The Greek, for example: they HAVE TO succeed. They have no jobs, and no jobs means no money and food. So they are clamping onto their company that has to succeed and fulfill a need, or else they won't survive." (Being rock bottoms. Hey! We've heard this before somewhere!)
"Then you have the Americans: they are just apeshit crazy. They get an idea, and believe it's the only possible way to be, so they put everything they have and live, in it. This is why they succeed, because they feel they HAVE to. It is the only way". (Believing in the product so hard and finding every and any way to get it working. Focus focus focus but mostly action action action. <-- another one familiar for the members of this forum)
Now, whether one agrees on above generalizations, it made a great topic to think about (yes again).
The big "WHY".
Why are you doing what you are?
Are you doing it with your heart? Or just because you're bored at your 9-5 job, and think this is the best way out?
Lack of direction, lack of value and lack of action will kill you and you're so called business.
^^^^^
Conclusion from this afternoon, yet again, again: DO, with every cell in your body. Or stop wasting your own and everyone else's time.
To start, a few rules to begin with:
#1 DO talk about Pitch club
#2 No seriously, DO talk about it
#3 If this is your first time at Pitch Club, you HAVE to pitch
The guy within the organization, and criticizing your pitch as well as helping you with it, is a previous employee of Apple. Who then leaves the job to travel the globe speaking on conferences.
He first tells us a bit about his background, how the rumor had it, that if you're in the elevator with Steve Jobs and tell him about what you do, and Steve doesn't like it, you'd be fired.
He expresses his doubts about whether this being true or not, it does make for an interesting mindset since everyone walking around in Apple Land, has put a lot of thought and energy about their own story and what they do what they do.
Besides giving the people some tools like "do not tell us to "imagine" things", complete your pitch within 30 seconds, describe a situation where you fulfill a need or create a scene like "wouldn't it be nice when/if...."
We all pitched. He gives some great constructive criticism.
After this part, I ask him about why certain pitches stand out and makes them remember able.
And this is where it became even more interesting, because it's one of the main discussed topics on this forum I feel;
"Only the "real" entrepreneurs can bring the feeling, because they are building something with their whole body, all their energy. As opposed to the "wantrepreneurs" who mainly are thinking from a "what would the other person like to hear" mindset.
Then he goes on, on explaining the differences he notices within cultures from an Entrepreneurial mindset.
"The Dutch are the worst, they often do startups because they think it's "fun". That's why there is a typical "Dutch-pitch", because they often lack the heart in it. Exceptions being the diehards."
"The Greek, for example: they HAVE TO succeed. They have no jobs, and no jobs means no money and food. So they are clamping onto their company that has to succeed and fulfill a need, or else they won't survive." (Being rock bottoms. Hey! We've heard this before somewhere!)
"Then you have the Americans: they are just apeshit crazy. They get an idea, and believe it's the only possible way to be, so they put everything they have and live, in it. This is why they succeed, because they feel they HAVE to. It is the only way". (Believing in the product so hard and finding every and any way to get it working. Focus focus focus but mostly action action action. <-- another one familiar for the members of this forum)
Now, whether one agrees on above generalizations, it made a great topic to think about (yes again).
The big "WHY".
Why are you doing what you are?
Are you doing it with your heart? Or just because you're bored at your 9-5 job, and think this is the best way out?
Lack of direction, lack of value and lack of action will kill you and you're so called business.
^^^^^
Conclusion from this afternoon, yet again, again: DO, with every cell in your body. Or stop wasting your own and everyone else's time.
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