Pitch Your Business

This video is about how to prepare the perfect pitch for your business idea. It follows the journey of an aspiring entrepreneur who dreams of starting an organic soap company but feels frustrated working in a corporate marketing job. Determined to pursue her passion, she creates a detailed pitch to present her sustainable soap idea to potential investors and mentors. Read on to find out how to prepare your own perfect pitch!

the full story
01 Perfect ptich

Ever since I can remember, I had the dream to start my own organic soap company. That was the reason why I took this job in the first place. But there I was, working in the marketing department of a big brand as a junior administrator and instead of being excited to work for this famous company, I was frustrated about how things were handled. I felt completely lonely with my ideas to make a positive impact.

6 elements of the pitch
02 Perfect pitch

I spent the entire next weekend studying different pitch formats. I figured that it would be best to follow the requirements of one of the big startup accelerators. If I could pitch to one of them, I could certainly pitch to the Marketing Director. I opted for a pitch deck which is based on the following 6 elements:

  • The Problem
  • My Solution
  • The Business Model
  • The Market
  • The Competition
  • Our Team
identify the problem
03 Perfect pitch

Okay, so the problem? Well, most body soap brands not only lack a truly refreshing smell but more importantly, they also sell in cheap throw-away plastic containers, which often last not more than a month. New modern consumers, however, see body soap as a lifestyle choice and they want to have a solution that not only works but also smells incredibly refreshing and is environmentally friendly. 

the solution
04 Perfect pitch

My solution I call Elements. It’s an organic soap which comes in 4 fantastic flavors; water, sky, earth and fire. In the first order, customers get all four flavors and a beautiful glass jar.  And with a click of a button, they get refill packs sent to their home in sustainable carton packages. 

the business model
05 Perfect pitch

The business model is the result of our understanding of the lifetime value of a customer. My customers will be very loyal, as they made a clear lifestyle choice to buy it. The first purchase someone makes is, therefore, just seen as an investment we make into a long-lasting relationship. It will cost customers 25 USD and they get a beautiful glass jar and a trial set of all four 4 flavors. The money we make later from selling the refill packs in sustainable paper bags for 15 USD. Similar to the famous razor and blades business model.

the market
06 Perfect pitch

The market is enormous. In the beginning, we will target urban women aged 20 to 30 years living in the United States. They are well educated, they care about the environment and are interested in expressing themselves through lifestyle choices. Based on my research, they spend on average around 50-100 dollars on body soap each year. As there are around 15 million women in the US who are in their 20s, living in urban areas, the total market opportunity is at least 750 million dollars a year. Once we capture some of that, we will expand to other consumers and go global.

study the competitor
07 Perfect pitch

Our competition are big brands. They own the market and they have been telling consumers over years that body wash comes in a cheap plastic bottle which ends up in the ocean or in a landfill. Smaller startups like ours might compete with them in some segments, but we rather consider them as allies as we fight for the same thing – educating consumers to make a switch to a more sustainable soap. 

Our team
08 Perfect pitch

The team, that’s me and my brother who currently studies biochemistry. But soon he will have his degree and since he’s a real nature freak he is full on board to help me develop a winning formula. My strengths are communication, organization and a clear understanding of what girls my age want. It took me until Sunday night until I had what I thought was the perfect pitch.

consulting with your mentors
09 Perfect pitch

A few days later in the office I saw the marketing director and took the initiative; I asked him to give me 3 minutes of his time, so I could pitch to him. But instead of hearing me out, he just said: “Why don’t you pitch next Monday at the board meeting! The old guys are always open to new ideas from the young people within the company. Maybe they will fund a prototype and do a market test?“ Then he added with a smile: ”The biggest secret of getting funding is this: ask for money, you’ll get advice. Ask for advice and you´ll get money”. I was completely blown away. I should present my idea to the board and I knew exactly what to ask for.

rehearsing the pitch
10 Perfect pitch

I couldn’t sleep that night, I was too excited about what the marketing director had told me. The next morning, when I went through my pitch again I wasn’t sure if I was really prepared. I called my former teacher, he had already started several successful companies. The next day we met and I pitched my idea to him. After he listened to me, my teacher got really excited and said, if they don’t buy your idea on Monday, I’ll offer to finance you to get started. OMG I was so excited. And so thankful.

execution
11 Perfect pitch

On my way home I reflected on my situation. I wondered if I really want to pitch to the board and carry on working for the same company which makes me feel miserable. After all, I only worked there to gain enough experience to start my own business. I realized that, actually, I don’t want someone else to buy and sell my idea. I want to try making it myself! It was clear to me that this is my chance to finally get started. I called my manager, thanked him for his time and told him I’ll quit my job to start my own thing.  

how about you?
12 Perfect pitch

How about you? Did you ever try to pitch your business idea? Write down your idea and follow the different stages, like described in this video and post it in the comments below, or even better, why not make a proper presentation!

Sources

Collaborators

  • Script: Jonas Koblin
  • Artist: Pascal Gaggelli
  • Made with Minutevideos.com