Elevator Pitch Ep. 8: 'Imagine If Jimi Hendrix and Beethoven Got Together for an Epic Jam' This episode of our weekly pitch show features guitarists, dentists and deals.
By Matthew McCreary Edited by Jessica Thomas
Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch invites ambitious entrepreneurs to step into the Entrepreneur Elevator, and then gives them just 60 seconds to pique the interest of a group of judges. It's a high-pressure, fast-paced environment in which startup founders need to race against the clock while maintaining their composure to make a clear, deliberate pitch that covers at least three essential components:
- Defining the company
- Making the request
- Specifying what the investment money will be used for
The investors watch the pitch via a video livestream while the elevator ascends to the boardroom floor. Once the 60 seconds are up, the judges vote on whether to open the doors or send the founder back down and pass on investing.
Peter Goldberg, founder of PLG Ventures, opens this episode of Elevator Pitch by introducing our four investors: Kim Perell, serial entrepreneur; Ross O'Brien, managing partner of Entrepreneur Select; Marlon Nichols, managing partner of Mac Venture Capital; and Abyah Wynn, managing partner of Twenty65 Fund. Each of the four judges are working from their homes or offices, watching the pitches over livestream.
Related: Elevator Pitch Ep. 7: Michigan's Best Business Ventures
You can tell how much energy our first entrepreneur has before the 60-second clock even starts ticking. Steven Jaksha of NeutralizerPlus+ says his 40 years of experience as a dentist has taught him the most common problem people tend to have is bad breath. His solution was to invent a new toothbrush, which he claims neutralizes bad breath in a natural, cost-effective and safe way.
His pitch impresses some of the investors, but O'Brien has questions. "He made the fatal mistake of talking about, "If I only could get just 1% of the market ….' It's a single product going up against billion-dollar market players. I've got a lot of questions." Will he be curious enough about the answers to open the elevator doors?
Next come Alyson Cambridge and Tony Bruno, the co-creators of Rock Me Amadeus, which they describe as "a live musical show where the classics collide." Due to the pandemic, the musicians have transitioned to making music videos and performing digitally for their audience, but they're seeking a 2021 return to the stage. After a brief sample of their musical talents wows the judges, Cambridge and Bruno make their ask: $450,000 in exchange for 10% of the company. Will any of the investors choose to rock with these musicians?
Watch now to find out and to see more great pitches.
