craft an elevator pitch

someone important asks "so, what do you do?" and you stumble through a rambling, unfocused answer that makes their eyes glaze over. we've all been there. the problem isn't that you're uninteresting. the problem is that you've never distilled yourself into a clear, compelling message.

fix that today.

why this matters more than you think

opportunities don't announce themselves. they show up disguised as casual conversations at parties, waiting rooms, coffee shops, and airport lounges. when you meet someone who could change your trajectory, you have about 60 seconds before their attention moves on.

a great elevator pitch isn't about sounding impressive. it's about being memorable. it's the difference between someone thinking "huh, interesting" and moving on versus "wait, tell me more about that."

the three-part framework

your elevator pitch needs exactly three components, delivered in under a minute:

who you are - not your job title. your identity and what drives you. "i'm a software engineer" puts people to sleep. "i build tools that help small businesses stop drowning in spreadsheets" makes them lean in.

what you're seeking - be specific about what you want next. vague ambition is forgettable. "i'm looking for a co-founder who understands supply chain logistics" is a magnet for the right person.

what you can offer - the value you bring. not your resume - your superpower. "i can take a messy process and turn it into something a five-year-old could follow" is worth more than listing your credentials.

crafting yours

write out your pitch. time it. if it's over 60 seconds, cut ruthlessly. remove every word that doesn't earn its place. read it out loud. does it sound like a human talking or a linkedin profile speaking? if the latter, rewrite it.

then practice it until it flows naturally. not memorized and robotic - internalized and conversational. you should be able to deliver it while making eye contact, not reciting from a mental teleprompter.

the ripple effect

a sharp elevator pitch doesn't just work at networking events. it clarifies your own thinking about who you are and what you want. the exercise of distilling yourself into 60 seconds forces a level of self-awareness that most people avoid.

write yours today. say it to yourself in the mirror. then wait for the moment when someone asks what you do - and watch their eyebrows go up instead of their eyelids going down.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.