Message Worth Millions

Something you rarely say as a founder: “No need to rush – we’ve got plenty of time!” Whether it’s an application for an accelerator, research before an important meeting or your pitch at an event, ruthless prioritization may well dictate that you complete it the day (or hour!) before it’s due. So what would the outcome of this high-stakes situation look like if you actually had more time to prepar...

When you hear about something for the first time, do you want it to be boring or hard to understand? Of course not! If you were having a conversation like that at a party, you’d find a way to exit as quickly as possible. But with pitching it’s super easy to fall into both traps – boring and hard – if you’re focused on telling someone the facts of your business. The truth is that the facts alone us...

The real make-or-break moment for any founder who’s pitching investors or customers isn’t the actual pitch. Yeah, you heard that right. The less-discussed but extremely important skill you really need: answering questions so the people on the other side feel certain in your abilities to deliver results. When you have a conversation that excites your audience – rather than a one-direction stream of...

When someone says to you, “Give me an example” about your product, what do you say? It’s a pivotal moment in any conversation, and you as a founder must be ready for it. Why? Scrambling on the fly is no fun, but you also don’t want to miss your chance to get that beautiful “a-ha!” moment where their eyes light up and they nod their heads. The painful truth is that general or abstract concepts don'...

No startup founder wants to pitch their heart out only to realize their audience didn’t understand a single word. If it’s happened to you, you probably know what the worst question is because you’ve heard it: “So what is it you actually do?” In this inaugural episode of Message Worth Millions , startup veteran and communications expert Kirin Kalia explains why the disconnect happens and why it mat...