Elevator pitches, revisited

TechCrunch has launched a service where CEOs and founders can deliver their elevator pitch to TechCrunch visitors. They get 60 seconds. TechCrunch elevator pitches…

I just went through a bunch of these, and I have to say – most of these are terrible. Not necessarily the companies or ideas (though there are a good share of “me too” businesses) but the pitches themselves are awful. I found myself skipping to the next pitch after 15-20 seconds.

Too many entrepreneurs start off by talking about themselves, not about the problem they’re solving. Or they talk about their competition. Or the investment opportunity.

Too few start with a problem and then solve it. Even fewer can describe their business in a way that immediately speaks to the need.