Slides I created for a seminar on delivering a startup pitch I gave at Samurai Startup Island in Tokyo, October 14, 2015. Want to wow VCs and future talent? These slides will help entrepreneurs and business leaders pitch their brilliant ideas clearly, persuasively, and with the passion that investors look for in a founder.

1. Darren Menabney
@ Samurai Startup Island
Tokyo
10.14.2015
Pitching With Passion
Pitching Perfectly
Session 2

2. So you’ve created
an amazing,
exciting Pitch
Deck...
2

3. CEO?
CTO?
CMO?
CFO?
3
Who should give the pitch?

4. Whoever…
1. Can communicate clearly
2. Knows the business
3. Can handle questions
4. Is a Founder
4
Who should give the pitch?

5. A great deck can be
ruined by a
bad presenter
5
Remember…

6. 6
Ability, not ego or job title,
should help determine
who makes the pitch

7. #1 and #3 can be learned!
1. Can communicate clearly
2. Knows the business
3. Can handle questions
4. Is a Founder
7
The Good News?

8. What Does a VC Look
For in a Founder?
1.Integrity
2.Passion
3.Experience
4.Knowledge
5.Skill
6.Leadership
7.Commitment
8.Vision
9.Realism
10.Coachability
https://www.ted.com/talks/david_s_rose_on_pitching_to_vcs?language=en
David Rose, “How to Pitch to a VC”
8
2.Passion
10.Coachability

9. Pas
Enth
Ene
9

10. YOU add value to
the pitch
10

11. YOU are why you don’t
just email the deck
11

12. YOU are part of the story
you’re selling to your
future investors and
partners
12

13. Connect with
the audience
13

14. The audience
is your ally
14

15. They’re here to
engage with you
15

16. Your confidence...
Audience’s
confidence in you
16

17. DARREN
MENABNEY
-2011, Toronto
BSc Astrophysics, U of T
Government of Canada
Revenue, Industry,
Foreign Affairs, Defence
2011+, Tokyo
MBA, GLOBIS University
Global HR, Ricoh Co. Ltd.
Part-time Faculty, GLOBIS University
17

18. © Javier Montano /
TEDxKyotoUniversity
18
Judging pitches
Attending a LOT of
pitch contests
Writing & delivering
pitches
Coaching startups
Teaching entrepreneurs
at MBA program
Public speaking

19. Create a Mood
+
Body Language
+
Voice Control
Impact &
Success!
19

20. 20
1. Body
Language
20

21. 30 seconds!
How much time you have to give a good
impression to the audience
21

22. Posture
Head up!
Shoulders straight!
Face the audience!
22

23. Stance
Hands at sides when not speaking…
Keep hands moving in “power zone”
Between waist and shoulders
Feet slightly apart
23

24. Always talk
to
your audience
24

25. Never just read every single word on the slide,
because the audience can probably read faster than
you can talk, and it doesn’t add any additional value,
and it may be written in really small font, like 12
point, so it’s actually pretty hard for people to read it,
blah-blah-blah…
25

26. No
barriers!
26

27. Talk with
your
hands
27

28. Motion
attracts
interest
28
Movement
projects
energy

29. Walk around
29

30. Eye contact...
Where?
For how long?
Culture?
30

31. SMILE!
31

32. 32
2. Voice
Control

33. Show energy,
passion and
enthusiasm
33

34. Direct your voice
and energy
OUTWARD
34

35. Strong voice, but
not shouting
35

36. Vary your
Tempo
Pitch
Tone
To create emphasis
36

37. Create
Drama
Energy
Tension & Resolution
37

38. Fascinate
Them!
38

39. Plain speech is best
previously before
approximately about
various many
39

40. 3. Opening
Your Pitch
40

41. “Hello!”
What’s the first thing
you should say when
you begin your pitch?
41

42. Things to never say when you begin
your pitch…
“Haha, I’m so nervous…”
“I’m really sleepy / hungover / jetlagged…”
“Sorry, I didn’t have much time to prepare
for this pitch.”
“Sorry the writing on my slides is so small,
I hope you can read it.”
42

43. Avoid
“Sorry”
Project confidence
& competence
43

44. “Thank you for your warm
welcome.”
“It's great to be here today.”
44

45. “I'm really excited to be
here today.”
“Thanks for taking the
time to be here.”
45

46. Company name (and say it)
Company Logo (a nice one!)
A short, memorable sentence describing why you exist
Title Page with Company’s Purpose
46

47. Elevator Pitch
47
“We solve [problem] by providing
[advantage], to help [target] accomplish
[target’s goal]. We make money by
charging [customers] to get [benefit].
Follow the 500 Startups Formula

48. Start off with…
A story
An amazing or surprising fact
A challenge to the audience
A simple greeting
48

49. Humor?
Telling a joke?
49

50. 4. Good Idea?
Bad Idea?
50

51. Think carefully about
1) Product Demos
2) Videos
51

52. Product
Demo?
Pros = It might work
Cons = It might not work
52

53. Showing a Video?
Don’t let the video speak for you
Your pitch time is limited
VCs don’t invest in marketing videos
53

54. 5. Closing
Your Pitch
54

55. Summary
55
May stay up on screen during Q&A for 5+ minutes, take
advantage of that!
Company Logo
3 - 4 key takeaways for audience
Contact details

56. “Thanks for your time.”
“I really appreciate this opportunity”
“Thanks for your kind attention.”
“That wraps-up/concludes
my pitch.”
56

57. “Now I'd be happy to take
your questions.”
VS
“Does anyone have any
questions?”
57

58. START your
pitch positively
58
END your
pitch positively

59. 59
VCs want to invest in
people, show them you
are a good investment

60. Next Time…Oct. 29
Preparation, Confidence and
Dealing with Tough Questions
Preparing to Pitch
How to Build Your Confidence
Q&A Time - Answering Difficult Questions
60

61. APPENDIX
61

62. Some Must Reads on Storytelling,
Presentations, and Public Speaking
62
Presentation Zen
Presentation Zen Design
by Garr Reynolds
Talk Like TED
by Carmine Gallo
resonate
by Nancy Duarte
Confessions of a
Public Speaker
by Scott Berkun