First Pitch: Winning Money, Mentors, and More for Your Startup

by Debi Kleiman

Overview

For entrepreneurs, pitching is do or die. To succeed with your startup, you must persuade investors, advisors, customers, and other potential partners to join you on your journey. It can be intimidating, but First Pitch is here to help. Based on her experiences as a marketer, entrepreneur, and educator working with hundreds of founders, Debi Kleiman shows you how to perfect a compelling and memorable pitch designed to impress. Using easy-to-follow frameworks, stories, and best practices honed by analyzing a thousand pitches, you'll discover what works, and how to build the relationship and communication strategies you need to get your new venture to the next level. First Pitch takes you through the various early-stage funders and pitch situations you might encounter so that you feel confident and ready for anything. In First Pitch, you'll learn the best ways to get investors and other key startup influencers to take notice and jump on board.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781544507897
Publisher:	Babson College Publishing
Publication date:	05/19/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	228
Sales rank:	887,728
File size:	2 MB

Editorial Reviews

"Excellence in the pitch process is not optional for entrepreneurs--it is essential. Debi Kleiman's book will launch you to success."

--Stephen Spinelli, Jr., PhD, president, Babson College; co-founder, Jiffy Lube International

"All entrepreneurs know that excruciating feeling of telling someone about their business and getting a skeptical look in return. Fortunately, Debi Kleiman lays out the secrets to a great pitch in a concrete and inspirational way. I recommend this to all entrepreneurs--and to anyone who needs to be a better storyteller."

--Diane Hessan, CEO, Salient Ventures; chair, C Space

"I have met thousands of students and early stage entrepreneurs preparing for their initial search for capital. All of them desperately needed First Pitch. Now that Debi Kleiman's insights are available to all the world, startup fundraising has been improved dramatically. Read it from cover to cover--more importantly, use it! There is no longer an excuse for a less than stellar pitch!"

--Len Schlesinger, Baker Foundation professor, Harvard Business School; president-emeritus, Babson College

"First Pitch is a must-read resource for entrepreneurs. It combines excellent practical advice and concrete guidelines with words of wisdom about the emotional and interpersonal aspects of raising early stage capital."
--Robert Stringer, CEO, Crimson Seed Capital; author, Culture.com: How the Best Startups Make it Happen.

"Debi's wonderful book is essential reading for first-time founders attempting to navigate the challenging waters of early stage fundraising and growth. It seems these days that everyone has a startup idea, but funding, relevant mentorship, and actionable advice are just as hard as ever to secure. In First Pitch, you will gain expert insight that can save you months of trial and error and help quickly get your startup off the ground."
--Jordan Fliegel, 2X venture-backed startup CEO; early stage investor in 75+ companies; author of Coaching Up! (Wiley, 2016)

"First Pitch provides a comprehensive, easy-to-follow blueprint for everything you need to know about pitching your startup. I haven't seen anything like First Pitch. I recommend it to all entrepreneurs who want to be better communicators, build strong relationships with potential funders, and deeply engage the people who can power your startup success."

--Kirk Arnold, executive in residence, General Catalyst; MIT lecturer; former CEO, Data Intensity

"As a startup investor and previously a founder, I know that being able to pitch your startup concisely is extremely important. Debi's smart advice and practical approach can help you get there."

--Tim Chae, general partner, 500 Startups

From the Publisher