After enjoying my last outing with them, I went to another nextNY event this evening. This one was PitchCamp. Keshava recruited several investors and entrepreneurs (including David S. Rose, the pitch coach written up in BusinessWeek) to serve as coaches while volunteers tried their pitches.
The first hour was three companies doing 2-3 minute elevator pitches with feedback afterwards. The second hour was spent with a company doing a 10 minute pitch presentation with PowerPoint, then taking 10-15 minutes of questions from “investors”, before feedback from the coaches. At the end, two of the three elevator pitches delivered a new version of their pitch incorporating the coach feedback, and results were noticeably improved.
I jotted down a list of the recurring questions and advice from the coaches:
It was really valuable to hear these comments, and I greatly admire the volunteers who stood up there and got grilled by the coaches. While I was listening, I was thinking of how I should be asking the same questions of myself in terms of how I present myself to the world and as a job applicant. I think that’s another post, though.
Technorati tags: nextNY PitchCamp
Updated to add the nextNY tag and post to the nextNY blog.
You should link to this from the nextny wiki – it’s a good summary.
I wish I could have made it.
The 14 month old really knows how to swallow forbidden things just as you are about to walk out of the house.
Maybe I can pitch next time.
Thanks for the notes, I’ll be sure to apply them first chance I get.