The Pitch

Earlier this year, the statement was made, “Just give me the elevator pitch.” If you know me at all… that is a super hard thing for me to do… I LOVE to talk and talk and talk about what I am passionate about. Before I began, I quickly chose three words that I wanted to include in my pitch. Then, I began formulating a quick summary of what I was trying to sell. It wasn’t an easy task. I wanted to do the product justice. I wanted buy-in. I wanted the other person to see the impact.

After that painful moment in time, I began wondering about my own elevator pitch.

Components of The Challenge

Words

We are surrounded by a world full of words, phrases, and sentences. There are nearly 1 million words in our language, and that is all fine and dandy until we have a time limit. We have to sort through those words to choose the impressionable, empowering, and related words. Combine them into a complete thought.

Elevators

Awkward. Is there any other way to describe an elevator ride with strangers? An average elevator travels anywhere from 10-22 mph, which would get you to the next floor in less than 2 seconds. Thank goodness…

Time

Which floor are you heading too? According to a recent study, The average number of words you’re able to listen to per minute is around 450. Most people usually only remember about 17 to 25% of the things they listen to. In other words… you don’t have much time; no matter what floor you are heading too!

Creating an Elevator Pitch

Know Your Why…

It is that simple! Simon Sinek encourages and inspires others to “find their why” in his book, Start With Why. He talks about The Golden Circle, and how the majority of businesses work from the outside ring inward… but the remarkable companies begin from the inside to the outside.

Know Your Passion

What fulfills you? What makes your heart happy? If you could retire tomorrow and money wasn’t a barrier… what would you do? AJ Juliani guides others to find their passion in 6 Simple Steps.

1. Take notice of what you do when no one is “telling you what to do.”
2. Take notice of what you do when you are “supposed to be doing something else”
3. What types of information do you read and watch?
4. Narrow your answers.
5. Give yourself a trial period.
6. Get started! Go on the Adventure!

Know Your Purpose

What is it that you want to do? You should feel this part… it should be rooted in you due to past experiences and situations. I like the saying, Dear Past, thank you for all of the lessons. Dear Future, I am ready!!! We are all weaved with different materials and that makes us individuals.

Know Your Outcome

What difference do you want to make? How do you want to impact others? Be careful with this one. So often, we are focused more on the data, than the tangible: the people that surround us, the creations we dream, the culture we establish.

Forming My Elevator Pitch

• Know My Why: To empower others so that they can empower others.
• Know My Passion: Teaching, Innovation, Reflection
• Know My Purpose: To give, to explore, to grow
• Know My Outcome: To create leaders, who will create leaders, who will create leaders

My Elevator Pitch

I want to empower others through innovation so that they can discover, encourage, and amplify leaders.

Although I might not have the most profound elevator pitch, I have one that inspires me, fulfills my desires, and pushes me to get up every day.

So, What Now?

Action… Ready… Set… Go…

1. Find an environment that makes you feel safe.
2. Find support.
3. Find others with similar elevator pitches.
4. Find opportunities.

Now It Is Your Turn!

If someone were to ask you right now,

“What is your elevator pitch?”

How would you respond?

Silent, stutter, stare, or with confidence?