The Successful Pitch Raizor's Edge

An investor is always going to probe the amount of money you’re asking them to invest. They want to make sure you’ve correctly gauged what you need to scale your business and that you’re not going to come back to them in six months or a year to ask for more. In the 52nd and final episode of The Successful Pitch podcast series, Allon Raiz talks about how you should respond when a potential investor asks what you would do with way more money than you’ve asked for in your pitch.

An increase in the size of the market could present your company with an opportunity to take advantage of favourable market conditions. Conversely, a declining market could pose a serious threat to your business. During your pitch, potential investors will want to see if you are prepared for both scenarios. Remember, there are opportunities in declining markets as well! In episode 51 of The Successful Pitch podcast series, Allon Raiz explores market growth and decline as it relates to your investor pitch.

In a pitch, you have to be able to communicate your vision for your business to your potential investor. You need to strike a balance between being too aspirational and unrealistic and not having any growth plans at all. Investors always strive to get a good return on their investment. They are looking to scale startup businesses but are also aware of the risks that startups face. You need to effectively communicate your growth plans and how you intend to mitigate the risks that are associated with growth. In episode 50 of The Successful Pitch podcast series, Allon Raiz offers his advice on how to go about answering the question, “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?”

Investors want to make sure you are aware of all the risks that may affect your business – which you may not have mentioned during your actual pitch. They need to know you’ve considered all possible risks and they especially want to know which are the ones that give you sleepless nights. When answering this question, you need to be honest. In episode 49 of The Successful Pitch podcast series, Allon Raiz offers his advice on answering this challenging question.

Dealing with competition is an inevitable part of business. It’s simply a fact that when your business begins to thrive, new competitors will emerge and they will want a piece of the market pie. You need to show your potential investors during your pitch that you have strategies in place to build defensive “moats” to keep the competition at bay. In episode 48 of The Successful Pitch, Allon Raiz explains the term “moats” and helps you prepare for questions about handling your competitors.

Do you have a plan in place if anything happens to you, the business founder? This may be an uncomfortable question but one you should definitely be prepared for when you’re pitching to potential investors. Investors will want to know that you have thoroughly thought through how your business will continue operating in your absence and that you have put solid plans in place. In episode 47 of The Successful Pitch series Allon Raiz offers his advice on how you should approach answering this question during your pitch.