Business panel: How do I pitch a business idea to potential investors?

TRYING to pitch your business to potential investors can be one of the most nerve-racking moments in your career. But there is a great starting point for any entrepreneur facing this daunting task – thinking about your ‘elevator pitch’.

As part of the Flight Accelerator programme, run by Barclays Eagle Labs and Digital Greenhouse Guernsey, start-ups are encouraged to think about how they would succinctly pitch their business. Traditionally a good elevator pitch should last no longer than a 20 to 30 second elevator ride.

Here are my top tips for constructing your own pitch for your business:

1. Know your numbers: Understanding the financial ins and outs can seem like preparing for a maths exam, but knowing your break-even, total costs and projected revenue are all key areas that can make an investor feel like they’re placing their money in safe hands.

2. Credibility of your team: Investors aren’t only interested in your financial predictions. Getting to know the team delivering those predictions helps give them confidence that your team is professional, skilled and is capable of using their investment wisely.

3. Ask yourself the hard questions:

Most start-ups live and breathe their business and rarely view it from a stranger’s perspective. Owners need to mentally take themselves away from the business and ask the difficult questions; ‘What’s stopping this business from being successful?’ or ‘What is unique about the business?’ Understanding the investor’s point of view can help prepare you for the difficult questions.

. Find more information about the Flight Accelerator programme here: ww.digitalgreenhouse.gg