Greetings, Chief Storytelling Officers.

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Let’s not waste any time and get right into one of the core skills you need to have if you want to convince investors to sign the term sheet and wire you millions of dollars.

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-Robbie

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The Surprising Truth About Impromptu Speaking

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"The best impromptu speakers are never truly speaking impromptu."

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It's a paradox, isn't it?

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Let's unpack that statement and help you transform your impromptu speaking skills.

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There are two pillars of impromptu speaking -Macro and Micro Preparation.

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1. Macro Preparation

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This is the daily grind, the commitment to honing your craft. It includes mastering the basics:

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Pacing

Pausing

Tonality

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Think of it as the robust foundation upon which your impromptu skills are built. With enough macro preparation, even if thrust into unfamiliar territory, you can still shine.

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Consider my interaction back in 2021 with a group of space tech founders. I wasn’t an expert in their field. A VC had reached out to me asking if I could run a session for this group and help them with their storytelling. Naturally, I said yes even though I knew next to nothing at the time about space tech. What I did know is that I loved sci-fi. Things like Asimov, Star Wars, and Battlestar Galactica were a huge part of my life. Walking into that session I knew I had to rely on my communication skills, honed over time, which allowed me to engage with them, understand, and enhance their stories.

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I walked out of that session with a bunch of amazing founders all reaching out to get more help because they wanted to bring their technology to life. My macro preparation had paid off.

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For founders and CEOs, your macro preparation includes your origin story, company narrative, vision, and customer testimonials. It’s also about perfecting the way you present - your body language, tonality, and overall presence.

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I cannot overemphasize how important your delivery is when speaking with investors. You have to demonstrate that you are the prize. That comes from how they feel about the words they hear and how they feel you stand up as a leader.

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Before you say that it’s not fair…it is fair. As a founder you have to convince people every day to follow you into hell and back. Investors, talent, your team, and of course customers. How you show up matters. Investors want to see you’ve got that It Factor.

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Set pieces within the macro prep

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In sports, set pieces are practiced strategies, executed during high-stakes moments. In speaking, these are your anecdotes, stories, and quotes that you can call upon, making you seem always ready and polished.

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Build them out. Have them ready. Watch them deliver every single time.

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2. Micro Preparation

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This involves preparing for specific expected scenarios. Think of those frequently asked questions that pop up. As a founder, you might not know the exact phrasing of a question about your go-to-market strategy, but you can anticipate its essence and prepare a compelling answer.

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An insider's perspective

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Some often wonder about the secret to my video content (are you following me on YouTube?). Is there a script or teleprompter? Truth be told, I decide my video content just moments before filming. I can do this because of my deep-rooted macro preparation.

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True impromptu speaking is a delicate balance of macro and micro preparation. It's this blend that elevates speakers to world-class levels. Where unprepared speakers stumble, you can stand out. Being polished in your delivery determines whether audiences see you as a trustworthy leader, an inspiring speaker, or a worthy investment.

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Remember: "The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller." - Steve Jobs

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This Week’s Highlights

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Archer Aviation $215m Deck - Raising $215m from huge names requires a level of sophistication. As you get deeper into rounds of funding decks become more valuable as a way to demonstrate the professionalism needed to go to IPO. This is a great look at one that just successfully raised.

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John Mayer dropping facts - There’s something beautiful about listening to someone who is so in touch with his craft. Become obsessed.

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20VC with Jason Lemkin - A great episode with tons of insight about what’s going on right now in the venture capital world.

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How to Give Investors FOMO - The Fear of Missing Out is powerful in social settings, but also in the venture capital world as well. See how to leverage it when you’re talking with investors.

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What I’m Seeing

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Be careful on who you trust in the current market. I’m seeing too many investors wasting the time of founders when they don’t have capital to deploy. As a founder you need to vet them and qualify them before going deep. Make sure they have capital and have done deals this year. Otherwise it’s pointless to take the meeting.

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Featured Founder

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With over 2,500 readers who are founders and investors we want to help spread the word about the cool stuff you’re doing. Maybe it will lead to a customer, a co-founder, or even investment. Message me and tell me what you’re up to.

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Kicking off a fundraise this year?

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There’s a right way to prepare, execute, and close your fundraising round. There’s a right way to craft, design, and deliver your story to make that happen.

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If you want the right way, reach out. If you have what it takes, we will talk more.