Pitching an idea you just had
Good news first: you don't need a business plan, money, a team or a finished product. Every famous company started as one person saying “wouldn't it be good if…” out loud. Tonight you'll learn to say it clearly enough that other people want to help.
How tonight works: you'll pair up with someone, tell them your idea, and let them ask you questions. Then they'll pitch your idea to the room, and you'll pitch theirs. You never have to sell yourself. You just have to listen well.
The two-minute shape
| Time | Part | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00–0:15 | Hook | Something that makes people lean in: a question for the room, a surprising fact, or “Imagine you're…” |
| 0:15–0:45 | Problem | One real person and one moment when things went wrong for them |
| 0:45–1:15 | Idea | What it is in one simple sentence, then describe someone using it |
| 1:15–1:30 | Proof | Anything real, however small (see below) |
| 1:30–2:00 | Why them | One thing your partner has done that shows they'll follow through |
Don't worry about hitting these exact timings. They're a guide, not a stopwatch.
The questions to ask your partner
Ask these questions and write down the answers. Your notes become the pitch. Each question has a sentence starter in case your partner gets stuck.
What's your idea, in one sentence?
Starter
It's a ___ that helps ___ do ___.
If you have to ask what a word means, ask them to say it again more simply.
Who has this problem? Tell me about one real person.
Starter
My friend ___ was trying to ___ and…
It can be themselves. A single real story beats “lots of people struggle with…”
What do people do about it right now, and what's annoying about that?
Starter
At the moment they have to ___, which is a pain because ___.
Walk me through someone using your idea.
Starter
First they ___, then ___, and at the end ___.
If you can picture it, the room can too.
Why doesn't this exist already?
Starter
Nobody's done it because ___ or It's only possible now because ___.
“I don't know yet” is a fine answer. Note it down honestly.
What's the biggest thing that could go wrong?
Starter
It only works if ___.
Naming a risk makes an idea sound more thought-through, not less.
What's something you've finished or made happen before?
Starter
I once ___, and it ended up ___.
This doesn't have to be about business. A school project, a part-time job, a club you ran, a trip you organised or a thing you taught yourself all count. What matters is that they started something and saw it through.
“But I don't have any proof yet”
That's normal. Proof can be tiny. Here are things you could honestly say by the end of this week:
- “I asked five people who have this problem, and four said they'd use it.”
- “I sketched what it would look like on paper.” (Show the sketch.)
- “I made a free sign-up form, and 12 people filled it in.”
- “I tried a rough version with my flatmates.”
Even one conversation with a real person counts as more proof than most ideas ever get.
Example: how Airbnb could have been pitched
Hook: Hands up if you've ever tried to find a hotel when there's a big event in town. Right. Everything's either full or costs a fortune.
Problem: That's exactly what happened in San Francisco when a big design conference came to town. Every hotel was booked, and visitors had nowhere to stay. Meanwhile, loads of people living there had a spare room or a sofa going unused.
Idea: So Brian's idea is simple: a website where you can rent your spare room to a traveller for a few nights. Picture a waiter in Washington during a presidential inauguration. Every hotel is full, so he rents out his flat and makes a month's rent in a week.
Proof: He didn't wait to build anything. He put air mattresses on his living-room floor during that conference, and strangers actually paid to sleep on them.
Why him: When Brian noticed a problem, he tested a real answer within days instead of just talking about it. If he says he'll build this, I believe him, because he already started.
Notice what made this work. There's no jargon, the story is about one real situation, the proof was scrappy but real, and it ends on the person rather than the product.
Easy mistakes to avoid
- Explaining how it works before why it matters. Start with the problem, not the features.
- Saying “everyone” will use it. One specific person is more convincing than everyone.
- Using big words to sound impressive. Clear always beats clever.
- Apologising. “This is probably silly, but…” undersells a good idea. Just say it.
A final word
Nobody expects a perfect idea tonight. The point is to practise explaining something clearly, listening closely to someone else, and standing up for their idea. Those skills last longer than any single idea will.