How to Make a Successful Investment Pitch with John Livesay

John Livesay is known as “The Pitch Whisperer.” He coaches startup founders who are seeking funding in how to best prepare their pitches to get maximum response. He knows the realm of pitching for funds inside and out, not just for the sake of getting money but also in terms of what investors are really looking for in startups and in their founders. If you are at all interested in learning how to be more effective in pitching your idea to investors, or are an investor who is looking to gain more knowledge about how to assess startups and their founders, this episode with John is going to be of great benefit to you.

Your idea may be good. But if you can’t effectively pitch it to investors it’s hopeless.

There are many product and business ideas that could probably make a significant impact on their target market and truly meet a legitimate need. But they never see the light of day because the people behind the idea are not good at packaging and presenting it to the people who could make it happen – investors. If you want your investment pitch to be the most persuasive and successful it can be, you need to know my guest on this episode, John Livesay. John generously shares a wealth of insight from his work with startup founders and investors to help you understand what goes into a great pitch and how you can become skilled at giving a pitch to investors. Be sure you listen.

Best practices for preparing your investment pitch.

Many founders or business owners try to pitch their idea to investors without the proper preparation – both of their idea and of themselves. John Livesay has developed a very specific process that walks startup founders through the stages of preparation that can make their pitch compelling and persuasive – but he also helps the person presenting the pitch craft the right stories, develop their personal mindset, and hone their speaking skills to make the presentation go off without a hitch. The number of founders he’s helped get their ideas funded is impressive. You’ll enjoy hearing his story on this episode of Capital Gains.

Why you need to pull investors in with stories instead of pushing them with information.

You may have some very compelling data or facts that show the veracity and need of your product or service. But if you can’t convey it in a way that shows that the idea will meet real needs and that YOU are the person to make the idea come to life, you will have a hard time convincing investors that it’s worth their time and money. John Livesay insists that every founder he leads through crafting their perfect pitch develop stories that draw the investors in. You can find out how he does it in this episode.

The best investment pitch advice: Ask for advice instead of money.

One of the things I asked John Livesay on this episode was how startup founders can best go about pitching their ideas to investors. He said the single most important thing is that the founder learns to ask for advice, not money. When you ask for money you’ll typically only receive advice. But when you ask for advice you’ll not only get a lot of questions and interest, you also open the door for the potential investor to learn more about your idea and get excited right alongside you. That often brings investment offers – which is what you want in the first place.

Outline of This Episode

[1:02] I’d like you to meet my guest today, John Livesay – the Pitch Whisperer.
[3:00] How John came to realize that startup founders needed help pitching their ideas.
[8:44] The types of startups John has worked with and what he’s looking for.
[9:30] The process John’s clients walk through – 8 online modules.
[11:12] How John vetts his clients.
[13:03] The types of things John’s clients learn in his process.
[16:49] Best practices for preparation for a pitch or presentation.
[18:10] What investors should be looking for in a potential investment opportunity.
[22:44] What is important when it comes to the value of the team and the value of the concept?
[23:24] How you can better prepare your pitch and identify potential investors.
[25:28] Why you need to pull people in with stories instead of pushing them with facts.