Your 60-sec problem → product hook
Investors hear dozens of pitches. Most blur together. The ones that stick follow a simple pattern: problem you can feel, product that solves it, all in 60 seconds.
Your hook isn't a feature list. It's a mini-story.
Bad hook: "We're building an AI-powered platform that leverages machine learning to optimize workflows and improve team collaboration across multiple verticals."
Good hook: "Sales teams waste 4 hours a week chasing approvals. We cut that to 10 minutes. Here's how."
The first version is vague. The second version creates tension (4 hours wasted), then releases it (10 minutes). You can picture the problem. You want to know the solution.
The formula:
- Problem (15 seconds): What pain exists today? Make it specific and felt.
- Product (30 seconds): What you built to fix it. One core insight, not a feature dump.
- Proof (15 seconds): One data point or customer quote that shows it works.
Example: "Enterprise sales teams spend 30% of their time on manual data entry. We automate it using voice transcription. Our beta users cut admin time by 70%."
That's 60 seconds. Clear problem. Clear solution. Clear result.
How to practice:
- Write your 60-second hook following the formula above
- Record it
- Ask: Can a 10-year-old explain your product back to you after hearing this?
- If not, simplify and re-record
If you can't explain it in 60 seconds, you don't have clarity yet.
Demo beats: setup, aha, prove it, ask
A demo isn't a tour. It's a sequence of moments designed to create one feeling: "I get it, and I want this."
Most founders show too much. They walk through every screen, every feature, every edge case. By minute three, the investor's eyes glaze over.
Instead, structure your demo around four beats:
Beat 1: Setup (15 seconds)
"Here's the problem in action. Watch what happens when a sales rep tries to log a call today."
Show the current painful workflow. Make them feel the friction.
Beat 2: Aha (30 seconds)
"Now here's our product. You speak. It logs. Done."
Show the core insight. One action. One clear improvement. This is the "aha" moment.
Beat 3: Prove it (30 seconds)
"Here's the output. Structured. Accurate. Saved automatically. No manual work."
Show the result. Prove it works. Let them see the before/after contrast.
Beat 4: Ask (15 seconds)
"What part of your workflow would this replace?"
End with a question that makes them engage. Don't just present—invite them into the problem-solving process.
Total demo time: 90 seconds. Four beats. One clear narrative.
How to practice:
- Script your four beats on paper
- Record a walkthrough of your product following this structure
- Time each beat—if any section runs over, cut until it fits
- Practice until you can deliver all four beats without looking at notes
Your demo should feel inevitable. Setup → Aha → Proof → Engage. Every beat earns the next one.
Q&A: don't wander—bridge and answer
The pitch ends. Hands go up. This is where most founders lose control.
An investor asks: "How do you handle enterprise security compliance?"
Bad response (wandering): "Yeah, so, we've been thinking about that, and there are a few different approaches we could take, and we've talked to some potential partners, and..."
You're stalling. The investor knows it.
Good response (bridge and answer): "We're SOC 2 compliant and support SSO. For enterprise customers, we also offer on-prem deployment."
Direct. Confident. Complete.
The bridge technique:
When you get a question you didn't expect, use a one-sentence bridge before you answer:
- "Good question. Here's how we handle that..."
- "We've thought about this. The short answer is..."
- "That's core to our approach. Here's the model..."
The bridge buys you one second to think and signals confidence. Then you answer—clearly and briefly.
If you don't know the answer:
Don't fake it. Bridge and commit:
"I don't have that data in front of me. I'll follow up with specifics by end of day."
Investors respect honesty more than BS.
How to practice:
- List the 10 hardest questions you might get
- Write a one-sentence bridge and a 15-second answer for each
- Record yourself answering them out loud
- Check: Did you wander, or did you answer cleanly?
Q&A is where confidence shows. Bridge. Answer. Stop talking.
The "no slides" drill
Slides are a crutch. They let you hide behind bullet points instead of owning your message.
The "no slides" drill forces clarity: deliver your pitch with nothing but your voice.
How it works:
- No slides. No screen share. No props.
- Stand up (even if you're alone)
- Deliver your 3-minute pitch from memory
- Record it
When you can't lean on slides, you learn what you actually know vs. what you're reading.
What this reveals:
- Weak transitions: If you stumble between sections, your structure isn't clear
- Filler words: "Um," "like," "basically"—these spike when you're unsure
- Unclear value prop: If you can't say what you do without slides, you don't own the message yet
Do this drill once a week. It's brutal at first. By week three, you'll sound sharper with slides than most founders do with a full deck.
Progression:
- Week 1: Deliver with notes nearby (but don't read them)
- Week 2: Deliver with no notes
- Week 3: Deliver and answer 3 Q&A questions after
By week three, you own your pitch. You don't perform it—you live it.
Checklist for demo day
Before you step on stage or hop on that investor Zoom, run this checklist:
Content check:
- [ ] 60-second hook is memorized (problem → product → proof)
- [ ] Demo follows four beats (setup, aha, prove it, ask)
- [ ] Q&A bridges are prepped for top 10 hard questions
- [ ] No jargon—can a non-technical person follow this?
Delivery check:
- [ ] Opening pace is under 140 wpm (controlled, not rushed)
- [ ] Key phrases are slowed for emphasis
- [ ] No up-speak at the end of statements
- [ ] Pauses after key points (2 seconds minimum)
- [ ] Filler words are under 3 per minute
Tech check:
- [ ] Demo environment loads in under 5 seconds
- [ ] Backup video recorded in case of tech failure
- [ ] Screen is clean (no embarrassing tabs or notifications)
30 minutes before:
- Record a full run-through (3-5 minutes)
- Listen for weak spots
- Do one rep of the "no slides" drill to warm up
The checklist isn't perfectionism—it's preparation. You've built something great. Now make sure they hear it clearly.
Run an investor-style pitch check (60-sec script)
Clarity is the difference between "interesting" and "I'm in."
Here's what you need:
- A 60-second hook that lands (problem → product → proof)
- A demo with four beats (setup, aha, prove it, ask)
- Q&A answers that don't wander (bridge and respond)
- The confidence to deliver without slides
Each piece is trainable. You don't need stage presence or natural charisma. You need reps.
Do this today: Record your 60-second pitch. No slides. Just you and your message.
Then check:
- Can someone who knows nothing about your space understand the problem?
- Is your solution clear in one sentence?
- Did you prove it works with one data point or customer quote?
If the answer to all three is "yes," you're ready. If not, tighten and re-record.
Run the drill once a week. By your next demo day, you won't be hoping for clarity—you'll own it.
Investors buy conviction. Conviction comes from reps. Start today.