What is Pitch Breakfast and why is it gaining popularity in Charlotte? 6 answers.
I made the frozen trek over to Packard Place for Pitch Breakfast yesterday morning. Glad I did. The event is growing and has some incredible momentum. How would I describe it? Humble, community-oriented, casual, fast, smart, driven and surprising.
Here are 6 quick answers to your Pitch Breakfast questions.
(1) What is Pitch Breakfast?
Typically, 2-3 entrepreneurs pitch their business to the audience and a few panelists. Feedback is provided. Everybody gets free breakfast. People chit chat.
(2) Who’s in charge?
Local startup supporters Vic Howie, Jim Van Fleet & Juan Garzon.
(3) I’m nervous talking to strangers. Are these people friendly and do I have to make awkward small talk?
The people are very friendly. It’s not cutthroat or intimidating. It truly feels like a community. If you’re really antisocial, you can show up right before 8:30 (when the actual program typically starts). Also, it’s a great mix of people: founders, people working at startups, creatives, technologists, business leaders, founders with successful exits, bankers that want to be entrepreneurs and more. My estimate is that about 75 people show up.
(4) Where and when is it?
2nd Wednesday of each month at Packard Place. 8am to 9:30am.
(5) Does it actually have breakfast?
Yes. The spread is pretty solid.
(6) As an example, what happened there when you went?
4 entrepreneurs pitched. 2 minutes each. No slides. 10 minute Q&A/feedback from the 2 panelists and crowd. The format was slightly different that usual (they do this 2min no slide format 1x per quarter). Pitchsters: CloudGenera, Canopy Financial, Trumor, and WEMS. Panelists: Dave Rizzo and Chris Halligan. I loved it. It’s energizing to hear directly from Charlotte entrepreneurs that are getting after it in our city. Here are some of my favorite tweets from the morning:
Welcome to @ideafund IDEA Pitch with @chrishalligan and Richard Brasser, CEO of @rFactr! #PitchBreakfast
— PitchBreakfast (@PitchBreakfast) January 14, 2015
Two minute pitch is a much better format than five: more feedback for presenter, more interesting for audience. #pitchbreakfast — Towner Blackstock (@townerb) January 14, 2015
“@PitchBreakfast: .@chrishalligan hates it. Oh dear. #PitchBreakfast” the truth hurts sometimes! But…honesty is priceless! — Chris Caggiano (@TechnoShorty) January 14, 2015
Enterprise sales cycles can be lengthy, but @cloudgenera closes $80k in an average of 31 days. #pitchbreakfast — Jim Van Fleet (@bigfleet) January 14, 2015
.@TrumorApp is now free. @chrishalligan says to have one sit down with a corporate executive about the app. #PitchBreakfast — PitchBreakfast (@PitchBreakfast) January 14, 2015
“I’m 74 and I have a 37 year old girlfriend. She gave me a new nickname last week. It’s called ATM.” Lee Tobin, you guys! #PitchBreakfast — PitchBreakfast (@PitchBreakfast) January 14, 2015
. @PitchBreakfast Thanks for the opportunity! Lots of great feedback from the panel and the crowd
— Canopy Financial (@CanopyFA) January 14, 2015
This story was originally published January 15, 2015 at 1:20 AM with the headline "What is Pitch Breakfast and why is it gaining popularity in Charlotte? 6 answers.."