Getting real, getting sharp, and getting investor-ready
Reading your slide deck 100 times or rehearsing quietly in front of your laptop won’t cut it.
The only way to actually improve your investor pitch is to practice. Out loud. On your feet. In front of people who won’t just smile and nod.
This guide walks you through how to make your practice sessions count—so when it’s game time, you’re not just prepared… you’re confident.
1. Practice With People Who Push You
It’s tempting to practice with folks who’ll say “great job” no matter what—but that won’t help you grow. Instead:
Pitch to your co-founder or team, and ask them to interrupt you with tough questions.
Invite your mentor, but ask them to stop you mid-pitch and challenge you with tough questions that may throw you off (e.g. “I’m not convinced—why should I care?” “What data do you have to support this?”, etc)
Practice with someone outside your industry to test how clearly you're communicating without relying on jargon.
You will get thrown curve balls. You might as well be ready.
2. Expect—and Practice—Tough Questions
Give your practice audience permission to challenge you. Even better, give them a list of questions like:
“What’s your traction—and why should I believe it can scale?”
“Why now?”
“What’s your moat? Can someone copy this faster?”
“What’s the worst-case scenario—and how would you handle it?”
“Why you?”
If you stumble, good. Better here than in the actual room.
✅ Resource
Download our Investor Mindset / Q&A Practice sheet and review the questions you may be asked and hand it out to the people you’ll be practicing with.
✅ Reminder about Investors
Investors rarely give direct, detailed feedback — and it’s not their job to.
They often fall back on polite euphemisms like “you’re too early,” which usually doesn’t mean just market readiness or traction; more often, it hints at concerns about the team, the plan, or the clarity of execution.
3. Simulate Real-World Pitch Pressure
Recreate real investor pitch conditions so you’re not thrown off by the unexpected:
Stand up. Set a timer. Use your full voice. Present like it’s the real thing.
Try pitching without your slides—just you and your story.
Get a friend to “fail the tech” on purpose, so you can practice staying composed when things go sideways.
4. Mix It Up: Practice Variations
You never know how much time you’ll have—or who you’ll be talking to. Build your adaptability muscle:
Do 1-, 3-, and 5-minute versions of your pitch.
Switch gears:
“Explain it like I’m a 5-year-old.”
“Now explain it like I’m a CFO.”
Ask your practice audience to throw curveballs:
“What if you realize mid-pitch that your audience knows your tech better than expected—do you pivot?”
“What if you thought you had 15 minutes, but half way through they say you only have a minute left - how are you going to wrap it up?”
5. Get Useful Feedback (Not Just “Good Job”)
The quality of your practice depends on the quality of your feedback. Be specific about what you need:
Ask for feedback on:
Clarity of your story
Energy and presence
Emotional impact—did they feel your pitch?
Keep track of the tough questions people keep asking—that’s your signal to refine your deck or story.
✅ Pro Tip:
Hand out a feedback sheet (see below) that helps people reflect deeper on your message and delivery. It might feel vulnerable—but that’s where the real growth happens.
6. Use the “4 Why’s” to Refine Your Message
Once you’ve practiced a few times, it’s easy to focus too much on timing or transitions. So, once you feel you’ve nailed the flow and the timing, zoom back out and ask:
Did I actually make the case for this business?
Use the “4 Why’s” storytelling framework to dig deeper—especially if a pitch didn’t land. You can host a focused “4 Why’s” discussion with a mentor or your team (see guide below).
This isn’t just helpful before a pitch—it’s crucial after one, especially if you left a meeting unsure what went wrong.
Remember: investors rarely give direct feedback. You have to be proactive about finding the gaps.
Final Thought: Show Up Like a Leader
Show up as a leader … a leader who’s practiced.
Practicing your pitch isn’t just about slides or timing—it’s about how you show up as a communicator and a leader. Are you clear? Convincing? Are you making a connection?
How do you handle pressure? Are you prepared for tough questions?
So practice with intention. Ask for feedback bravely. And keep refining until your pitch doesn’t just inform—it moves investors into action!
Resources/Feedback Sheets
Here are the guides and feedback sheets:
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