Public speaking: speeches, presentations and pitches
A speech is written for the ear, and the only way to know how it sounds is to say it. Timing, pauses and the line that gets a laugh all show up in rehearsal, not on the page.
From wedding toasts to board presentations and investor pitches, these guides cover structure, delivery and the questions that follow.
Practice guides
- How to Pitch to Angel Investors: A Spoken ScriptAngel investors should hear a clear customer problem, credible evidence, a funding ask and the milestone that money will buy. Keep the opening under 60 seconds, then expand to a two-minute case only when the conversation earns it. Use this structure: “I’m building product for specific customer who faces pain. We have evidence, and we’re raising amount to reach milestone.” Add the business model, narrow first market, two risks and a specific next step. Paid traction leads the proof; a working product, signed pilot or relevant intellectual property follows when revenue is unavailable. State…
- How to Pitch to Venture Capitalists: A Spoken Practice GuideA Series A pitch should win the next diligence step, not force an investment decision in one meeting. Use a recovery-first method: answer the interruption directly, anchor it in evidence, then return to the next proof point. In the final 15 minutes, prepare your customer, urgent problem, proof, three round-defining facts, investor-specific reason and funding-linked milestone. Open with a 30-second statement, expand it into 90 seconds, and keep a three-minute version ready for deeper discussion. Rehearse 25 times, focusing on retention, gross margin, runway, customer concentration, valuation…
- How to Pitch an Idea to Senior Leadership: ScriptSenior leadership responds better to a bounded decision than an oversized pitch. Use a four-part structure: define the problem, compare options, recommend one, and ask for a specific action. In 15 minutes, prepare a one-page proposal with the owner, evidence, risk, success measure, and next decision point. Open within 30 seconds with a script that names the business problem, your recommendation, and the permission, funding, pilot, feedback, or introduction you need. Expect objections about cost, failure, timing, capacity, ownership, and evidence; classify each response as a decision…