jenniferbonnett.com
If you are a Startup CEO, You MUST Read this!
The Most Difficult CEO Skill <—– LINK
Free Advice
Just had a quick chat with a StartupChick and, as usual, I was giving advice. My advice was diametrically opposed from advice that she is getting from another Advisor.
So, here’s what I want to say about that…
If you talk to 10 people about your startup, you will probably get 10 different answers. That’s life. It is YOUR Startup. ONLY you and your co-founders can figure out the path that you are going to choose to travel.
Advice is just that, advice. Take it or leave it.
I will say this…. a practice that I try to follow with my own advisors.
If I choose NOT to take their advice, I sit down with them and explain why I have chosen NOT to. This is important, because I respect and admire them. And I want to be able to continue to seek guidance from them. But, I may have a very valid reason for following a different path (and I may also be wrong), it’s important that they know that I am listening and I do value them.
And if you’re wrong and you need to go back down that path that they recommended…. Be sure to tell them that too. People LOVE to hear that they are right!
Just my 2 cents.
Jen
StartupRiot 2011 – Still Perfecting the Pitch
Yesterday I was one of 50 presenters to pitch their companies at StartupRiot 2011. I was blessed to tie for 2nd place (again) with my startup Nexpense. I was blessed for many reasons….
1.) Sanjay & the StartupRiot team allowed me to pitch again. Why? I’m not entirely certain; but, instead of a pitch video, I submitted a video with the top 5 reasons they should allow me to pitch again as part of my application. I’m guessing that didn’t hurt…. And the main reason was the PROGRESS we’ve made since last year.
2.) The companies and presenters were the BEST yet. Really, not a bad pitch in the house.
3.) I had so many friends and supporters in the audience, it could have been rigged. 
4.) We had 10 women pitch. 8 of them our part of our StartupChicks programs and coaching!!! 20% of all presenters were women and that is HUGE!
5.) Fear is my friend. Yes, I am actually really good in VERY stressful situations. (Of all sorts, per the paramedics & doctors, I once saved a friend’s life after a ski accident by taking the right steps while waiting for help. They had to helicopter her to the hospital…)
I love StartupRiot. It’s a great event. The energy and BUZZ is amazing. Some of my lessons learned from the last 2 years….
- practice, practice, practice. I do as many “StartupGauntlet”s as possible and practice everywhere: while jogging, while driving, in the shower, etc.
- there comes a point where you just give it up to a higher power, and trust that you will do the best YOU can do.
- visualize. For about 2-3 days before the event, I spend just as much time “visualizing” nailing it, as I do practicing.
- when I walk on stage the first thing I do is BREATHE and smile. It relaxes me, a bit.
- be yourself. be authentic. If you are doing something out of character (ie. trying to tell a joke, if that’s not you), it will backfire.
- there is an element of showman-ship. Especially in a Fast Pitch. 50 companies presenting, how can you stand out??? PLAN IT.
- keep it simple. Slides simple, your talk simple.
- Know your goal. You’re just trying to peak their curiosity and get them to come visit your table or booth. That’s IT. At the table/booth, you try to get their card and ask to contact them about a meeting. One step at a time.
- If they come to the table get THEIR email or phone number (even if they don’t have a card), you want follow-up to be YOUR responsibility NOT theirs.
For those of you who missed it, here is a video of my pitch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVuhnsEq7M
And here are my slides:
http://www.slideshare.net/jenbonnett/nexpense-pitchstartupriot2011
If you’ve got a pitch coming up… get help. Schedule an office hours and I’ll do what I can to help!
Jen
Office Hours with Jen
Hi! I've decided to try something NEW!
So many women reach out to me via email and through the site seeking advice, connections, etc. that I frankly have difficulty keeping up. The best way to catch me is… actually at an event – before/after. And being an entrepreneur myself, I get it… when you have a question or issue that you want advice on – you want it NOW.
So, I'm starting Office Hours.
EVERY Tuesday morning, from 9am -12 noon, I will be accepting 30 minute appointments. Schedule an appointment with me using Tungle.
http://tungle.me/jenniferbonnett
Be A Beacon Show Podcast featuring Jennifer Bonnett, founder of StartupChicks
Happy New Year! What a great start to the New Year! My first business activity of the year…was a Podcast on David Cohen's Be A Beacon Podcast.
Talking about StartupChicks and Nexpense.
You can listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/david-cohen/2011/01/03/be-a-beacon–personal-branding-with-david-cohen
Kauffman Labs: Looking for women engineers & scientists to start Companies!
The Kauffman Lab is looking for women engineers & scientists who have an idea for a scalable, fundable business.
Winner gets an invite AND all-expense paid trip to TED2011.
Deadline is January 15, 2011!
Happy Holidays!
WOW! I can't believe it is already the holidays! Time flies… when you're starting companies. Tis the season to be GREATful. We've had a LOT of growth and changes at StartupChicks this past year. We are at over 600 members. We have amazing sponsors and an amazing Advisory Board of successful serial entrepreneurs dedicated to helping YOU grow your businesses….
We have expanded our leadership committee to 8 amazing StartupChicks and we have even more volunteering to be involved in mentoring and our educational events. I am extremely thankful for all who are involved at those levels. StartupChicks could not do it without them. But, mostly I am grateful for YOU, the women out there building businesses (or aspiring to do so). I love hearing your stories, I love trying to help you in any way possible. See… you inspire me, you keep me going. So, thank you for sharing your ideas, listening to our advice, and sharing your passions. YOU are what StartupChicks is all about.
Jen Bonnett
Founder – StartupChicks
Greetings from the Valley
Hi… i'm sitting in a Peet's Coffee in Belmont, CA waiting for my meeting with a female VC. I'm totally exhausted, a little disappointed and exhilirated at the same time.
I'm still sort-of on east coast time. So, technically I went to bed at 3am, and woke up at 7:30am (4:30 here). Couldn't sleep.
It's been a bit of a whirlwind. Last night, I pitched Nexpense at Women 2.0's 4th annual pitch night, in front of about 300 people. It was definitely my best pitch, yet. I nailed it. It was a 7 minute pitch followed by 7 minutes of questions from the judges. We didn't win. But, it was a GREAT experience. I met lots of great women.
They had 3 “fireside” chats with some GREAT women founders. Lots of great advice.
I connected with the Founders of Women 2.0 and Lesa Mitchell from the Kauffman Foundation. GREAT Connections for StartupChicks.
And I made one good connection with a VC. I'm learning… it's all about connections.
Gotta run…
Calling on my Inner Sasha Fierce
** This post was written 13 hours before StartupRiot. Tomorrow I am pitching at Women 2.0, in San Francisco. I've come a LONG way since StartupRiot, and my nerves are not quite as bad as the night before Riot. But, I thought it was worth a repost. **
In about 13 hours I will be on-stage in front of 400+ investors and entrepreneurs at StartupRiot giving a pitch. And I am petrified.
It's been 5 years since I gave a real pitch: a pitch to real investors. I have pitched ideas to advisors/mentors, entrepreneurs, to friends/family and to you (the StartupChicks); but, I haven't given a real pitch in 5 years. Even then, the largest pitch was to an angel group with @ 75 people in attendance. It's been 10 years since I presented to over 400 people… and that was at a User Conference -a totally different audience.
Here's the thing. I'm not worried about the business, the idea. It will live or die based upon the plan and actions that my team & I take (or don't take); and upon whether or not I can pull together the right team. I'm worried about the pitch for the sake of the pitch.
Quite frankly, I am afraid of letting you down. I have inadvertently become the face of the StartupChicks and that means that you and others have come to have expectations of me. What if my pitch sucks?
So, I am calling on my own Sasha Fierce to carry me through. I will get through the next 14 hours, and I will rock the house with my pitch.
But, most importantly, MORE women will pitch at StartupRiot this year than last. And that's something.
Jen
P.S. This post has been scheduled to be released after my pitch! 
It takes a Community
Any of you that have met me… or been to an event where I did more than make introductions, already know how I feel about TEAMS.
My usual statement is that it “takes a team”. No MATTER what kind of startup you are starting, it takes a team of people to design, develop, build, sell, promote, service the BEST of whatever it is that you are providing. That team may be employees, or it could be vendors, or it could just be a GREAT group of like-minded people that you can leverage as your sounding board, your advisors, your peer group.
Today I'm changing that up…. it takes a COMMUNITY.
I'm about 40-some hours from pitching Nexpense to 300+ Women 2.0 members and investors/entrepreneurs. And I'm feeling OK. I'm feeling ready. And that's because I belong to this AMAZING Atlanta Startup Community.
About a week ago, I reached out to a bunch of Startup Community Leaders – Angel Investors, ATDC Venture Catalysts, StartupChicks Advisory Board Members. I asked for and organized a “StartupGauntlet” for myself. That is, a practice pitch. I give my pitch. They listen, critique and help me prep.
Yesterday, I ran the Gauntlet. It's not as fun, when you're the only one pitching. BUT, I know that my pitch deck is 1000% better because of it. And I know that I am better prepared than before. I've still got 40 hours… and I'll be practicing/fine tuning my pitch over that time. AND I will ROCK the house on 11/4.
But, even more importantly for you…. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE that are willing, ready and able to HELP you with your business. Sometimes ALL you need to do is ask for HELP.
Make the ASK. Who knows???
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