Key Elements To Include In An Elevator Pitch

EVERY entrepreneur needs to have their 1-minute story down. No excuses. 😑 Here's my entirely unconventional (but successful) formula for nailing this: Most investors will tell you they want/need to hear your TAM, your GTM, and your competitive differentiation all in that first minute. 📊 But remember that old Henry Ford saying, "If I'd asked them what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse,"? 🐎 Same thing applies here. What they say they want versus what they *actually react to* are completely different. The reality is you're far more likely to confuse people by jamming 5 data points and 3 strategic plans while also trying to just get them to understand your product all in one minute. And the more numbers you throw out, the less likely your audience will remember any of them. 🫠 More information ends the conversation. Your 1-minute story should be a conversation-starter. That's where the Que PASA Elevator Pitch Formula™ comes in -- 🛗 PROBLEM 🆘 -specific, not broad -Create imagery with your words -NO market size numbers -As if you're speaking directly to your customer APPROACH 🫱🏽🫲🏻 -1 phrase or sentence -Your ultimate brand promise SOLUTION 🤓 -What is it -How does it help -Most layman's terms possible -DON'T say "disruptive" or any of the other classic startup adjectives ACTION 🎬 -1 traction data point OR 1 market size stat. Stick to 1 number. -Lead into a conversational ask (NOT "Money Pweeaze!") Start the whole thing by saying, "Here's how we pitch our customers..." Use the right words under this sequence and you'll communicate in such a fundamentally different way than the 99% of others who pitch. It's so compelling and refreshing your audience can't help but lean in with enthusiasm, versus pull back from confusion. I've been in Ubers with investors where I will read out our clients' pitches under this formula and get responses like, "that's the best intro I've ever heard," and "Can you connect us with the founder? That's really interesting stuff." Your first 60 seconds determines your next 60 minutes. ⏳ Start a conversation. Don't end it. #BelieveTheHype #GOATtoMarket

Founders love complexity. Investors love clarity. That’s why 9 out of 10 pitches get ignored — confused minds don’t write checks. Here’s the single most effective elevator pitch framework I’ve seen (used by YC grads, top angels, and $100M founders): 👉 “We help [specific audience] who struggle with [pain point] by providing [solution]. Unlike [competitor/alternatives], we [unique value prop]. In the last [X time], we’ve [traction metric], and we’re now [next milestone].” Why it works: → Hooks the right investor instantly → Surfaces the real pain you solve → Destroys generic “AI for X” confusion → Makes you memorable AND credible Let’s break it down with a real-world style example: Weak pitch: “We’re a next-gen platform revolutionizing lifestyle commerce through curated experiences.” Sounds cool. Means nothing. Strong pitch: “We help Gen Z shoppers who struggle to find affordable but premium-looking fashion by offering trend-driven outfits under ₹1,499. Unlike fast fashion giants with bloated inventories and slow trends, we drop new limited-edition collections weekly based on real-time demand signals. In the last 6 months, we’ve done ₹2.1 Cr in sales with 62% repeat buyers, and we’re now launching our own app to scale retention.” That’s a pitch that gets attention. Founders: → Drop this on investors. → Put it on LinkedIn. → Start your deck with it. → Tattoo it on your team’s brain. (Infographic below. Bookmark it.) ♻ Repost to spread the reminder. 🔔 Follow Anshuman Sinha for more Startup insights. #Startups #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #PitchDeck #LeanStartups