johnpavlish

my life story
2012 | Apr 13
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Startup Weekend 5 in Kansas City I just pitched within 60 seconds of my idea of helping victims of strokes through a mobile app that could translate the physical world into an audio translation. After the 30 some pitches, all the participants within then voted for their favorite pitches. The best voted pitches would then form into groups for developing an idea for a business. I had about 10 votes, where 11 plus votes had the ability to form a team for presenting Sunday. The most popular 12 ideas were formed into a team. I felt that my pitch was one of the top polished presentations, due to my experience at the Kauffman Foundation Global Program. Below are some fo the points that I felt I separated me from the average pitch. I was within the allotted time of pitching in 60 seconds I had a personal story of my idea, and I am the customer I asked the group to raise their hand if they had a stroke victim, which forces the crowd to participate with me. I found that about a third of the crowd had a loved one with a stroke. I asked for a team of technical, creative, and networking individuals. Nearly everyone else asked for “front and backend,” “marketing,” etc, which made each pitch dull I already had contacts with doctors, therapists, and patients of my customer. Many needed to build a customer base. I had a unique experience and education outside of the midwest. There were only two other presenters outside of this area. Some of the lessons I learned from the day were networking with the other entrepreneurs, developers, and designers in the ability to rehearse my pitch. I found that at least within the 5th Startup Weekend in Kansas City, there was a huge vacuum for talent in software engineers. Beforehand I was not expecting to have a feasible business at Startup Weekend, but felt that it was a step towards rehearsing and understanding how to pitch and precisely articulate my thoughts to strangers. I felt that the admission fee of $80 which covers for food over the weekend reasonable for testing both myself and my business idea.

Startup Weekend 5 in Kansas City

I just pitched within 60 seconds of my idea of helping victims of strokes through a mobile app that could translate the physical world into an audio translation.

After the 30 some pitches, all the participants within then voted for their favorite pitches. The best voted pitches would then form into groups for developing an idea for a business. I had about 10 votes, where 11 plus votes had the ability to form a team for presenting Sunday. The most popular 12 ideas were formed into a team.

I felt that my pitch was one of the top polished presentations, due to my experience at the Kauffman Foundation Global Program. Below are some fo the points that I felt I separated me from the average pitch.

  • I was within the allotted time of pitching in 60 seconds
  • I had a personal story of my idea, and I am the customer
  • I asked the group to raise their hand if they had a stroke victim, which forces the crowd to participate with me. I found that about a third of the crowd had a loved one with a stroke.
  • I asked for a team of technical, creative, and networking individuals. Nearly everyone else asked for “front and backend,” “marketing,” etc, which made each pitch dull
  • I already had contacts with doctors, therapists, and patients of my customer. Many needed to build a customer base.
  • I had a unique experience and education outside of the midwest. There were only two other presenters outside of this area.

Some of the lessons I learned from the day were networking with the other entrepreneurs, developers, and designers in the ability to rehearse my pitch. I found that at least within the 5th Startup Weekend in Kansas City, there was a huge vacuum for talent in software engineers.

Beforehand I was not expecting to have a feasible business at Startup Weekend, but felt that it was a step towards rehearsing and understanding how to pitch and precisely articulate my thoughts to strangers. I felt that the admission fee of $80 which covers for food over the weekend reasonable for testing both myself and my business idea.

#kauffman
#photo