Presentation Skills
A great pitch deck is only half the battle. How you present—your energy, your clarity, your confidence—makes the difference between a forgettable pitch and one that wins.
Practice Makes Perfect
The best way to practice your pitch is:
Delivery Fundamentals
The 10-20-30 Rule
10 slides: Maximum deck length
20 minutes: Maximum presentation time
30-point font: Minimum text size (forces clarity)
Voice & Energy
- Pace: Slow down. Nervous presenters rush. Pauses are powerful.
- Volume: Project to the back of the room. Be heard.
- Variation: Monotone kills interest. Vary your tone for emphasis.
- Passion: If you're not excited, why should they be?
Body Language
- Eye contact: Look at your audience, not your slides
- Posture: Stand tall, plant your feet
- Gestures: Natural hand movements, not fidgeting
- Movement: Move with purpose, don't pace nervously
Presentation Checklist
Look at your , not your slides.
Speak more than feels natural.
Show for your idea.
Use for emphasis.
Handling Q&A
Q&A Framework
1. Listen: Let them finish. Don't interrupt.
2. Clarify: "If I understand correctly, you're asking..."
3. Answer: Be direct. Start with your answer, then explain.
4. Check: "Does that answer your question?"
Tough Q&A
What's the best response?
🌟 Strong Answer!
You acknowledged the question, didn't get defensive, and pivoted to your advantage. You showed you've thought about this and have a clear differentiation strategy.
👍 Risky Move
Deflecting can work sometimes, but in Q&A you want to show you can handle tough questions. They might not get another chance to ask.
💡 Sounds Defensive
Dismissing the question makes you seem unprepared or in denial. Every startup has competition—acknowledge it and explain why you'll win anyway.
Rapid-Fire Q&A: Investor Grilling
Investor: "I've seen 5 other mentorship platforms this month. What makes you think you'll be the one that works? Convince me in 30 seconds."
Preparing for Common Questions
Prepare answers for these frequently asked questions:
- "How did you come up with this idea?"
- "What's your business model?"
- "Who are your competitors?"
- "What's your unfair advantage?"
- "What are the biggest risks?"
- "What will you do with the funding?"
- "What happens if [big company] enters this space?"
Prepare Your Q&A
PreparationWrite answers to likely tough questions:
Example Q&A Prep
Q: Why you? A: I'm a first-gen student who lived this problem. I've personally navigated the recruiting maze and now help others. I understand this audience because I am this audience.
Q: Biggest risks? A: Our biggest risk is mentor retention. We're addressing this by making mentorship easy (30 min/month commitment) and giving mentors recognition and networking value.
Q: Competition? A: LinkedIn is broad, Handshake focuses on campus recruiting. We're the only platform specifically designed for first-gen students, which means better matching and higher engagement.
Q: If it doesn't work? A: We'll learn why and pivot. Our closest pivot might be expanding to all students from non-target schools, which is a 5x larger market with similar dynamics.
Practice Plan
ActionCreate a plan to practice your pitch before the real thing:
Example Practice Plan
Practice with: 1) My roommate (general audience) 2) A friend who's pitched before 3) My advisor who can give tough questions
Schedule: This week: 3 practice runs. Day before: 2 final run-throughs. Morning of: 1 confidence run.
Feedback on: Am I rushing? Is the problem clear? Do I seem confident?
Recording: Loom recording of myself, watch for filler words and eye contact
Weakness: I tend to speak too fast when nervous. Will practice pausing after key points.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Practice out loud, to real people, multiple times
- Slow down, make eye contact, show passion
- Use the 10-20-30 rule: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30-point font
- Prepare for tough Q&A—acknowledge, don't dismiss
- Nerves are normal—channel them into energy