Teaching
a Pitch Challenge
Toolkit Guide
v5-0321
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What is
Young Entrepreneur
Pitch Challenge?
A simple set of activities that help kids learn
creativity, problem solving, critical thinking
and presentation skills.
Pitch Challenge teaches kids critical workforce
readiness skills and helps them develop a
mindset for 21st century careers whether or not
they become entrepreneurs.
This program is specially designed for kids
to connect their passions with a solution to
a problem, develop a pitch for that solution,
and perform their pitches either live or on video.
Young Entrepreneur Institute offers assistance
and resources to help make the Pitch Challenge
easy for you to implement.
The Pitch Challenge is engaging and relevant
for all the kids you serve. And it’s fun!
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Contents
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How to teach the
Pitch Challenge
Overview
Problem Identification
Pitching Activities Basics
Business Opportunity
Worksheet #1:
Developing a Business Opportunity
Worksheet #2: Putting It Together
Pitch Content and Structure
Worksheet #3: Telling Your Story
Pitch Practice
Worksheet #4:
Elevator Pitch Essentials
Coaching and Filming
Now What?
Correlation to Ohio
Learning Standards
for English Language Arts
©2021 Young Entrepreneur Institute at University School
How will a Pitch
Challenge benefit
you and your kids?
It introduces kids to the entrepreneurial mindset.
Instills important life skills in a fun way
Reinforces academic content
Easily implemented with free tools and
content
Can be completed in three to five steps
Strengthens relationships in region
and/or network
Raises visibility of programs to attract
more kids and families
An opportunity to engage local business
leaders as mentors and judges
These lessons give kids a chance
to experience entrepreneurship
and grow important life skills
including:
Creative problem solving
Succinct expression of ideas
Persuasive speaking
Presentation skills
Oral and written communication
Self-confidence
Critical and strategic thinking
Overcoming adversity
Taking ownership of one’s life
What is a pitch?
An elevator pitch concisely and
enthusiastically explains what
your idea is or what your company
does. It should spark interest,
be brief, persuasive, compelling
and importantly, memorable in
some way. Take-aways are the
uniqueness and/or advantages
of your idea or company.
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How to
teach the
Pitch Challenge
This program offers educators support materials and
a framework of exercises to help kids learn about
entrepreneurship. These lessons prepare students
to enter the challenge and can be created in three to
five steps. Additional resources are identified at the
end of each lesson to expand the learning.
Set the stage
Explain the process to enter
Warmups
Pitching Activities
Lessons
Optional Activities
Additional Resources
Explain the Challenge
and its benefits
VentureLab
People Rocket,
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Warm Up: Ten Uses for a Shoe
Main Event: Day in the Life
Pitch Activity 1: Scripted Pitch
Outcome: PROBLEM IDEA
PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION
Page 8
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
Warm Up: Invention Mash-up
Main Event: Opportunity Venn Diagram |
Putting it Together
Pitch Activity 2: Pitching Improv
Page 10
Outcome: BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
Pitch
Challenge
Overview
PITCH CONTENT,
STRUCTURE
Warm Up: Favorite Things
Main Event: Message Map |
Iterative Practice
Pitch Activity 3: Favorite Cookie
Page 16
Follow these steps
to help kids
prepare a pitch
Outcome: FINISHED PITCH
PITCH
PRACTICE
Page 19
COACHING &
FILMING
Page 22
Warm Up: Good And Bad Pitch Examples
Main Event: Pitch Practice
Pitch Activity 4: Pen Exercise
Outcome: CONFIDENT PRESENTATION OF PITCH
Warm Up: Practice, Practice, Practice
Main Event: Live Presentation, Filming | Reflection
Outcome: CONTEST ENTRY
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Overview
continued
Pitch Basics
• A pitch is a 30- to 90-second presentation. It is short, so to keep the listener
engaged. Every word should be precise; strip out any excess!
• A pitch is your verbal business card.
• Your goal is to make the listener more curious about you, your product, service,
idea or company and then tell them how they can find out more.
Creating a Safe Space
What’s In
the Toolkit?
1
2
Failure is key to an entrepreneurial mindset. In order to achieve higher levels of
creativity and self-expression, students need to feel that the group is a safe space
to fail early and often.
Establish from the beginning that this is a safe space to make mistakes and
practice as well as an opportunity for kids to connect with one another. One
technique to guide this is using the language “glows” and “grows.”
“Glows” are praise and “grows” are constructive criticism phrased in a helpful
and encouraging way. Help the kids learn how to phrase grows and glows by
having the facilitator modeling positive and negative feedback on a sample
presentation. Until students become proficient at this skill, another method is
sandwiching a grow between two glows. For example, “Your idea is creative!
It was hard for me to understand the name of your product – maybe speak a little
more slowly when you introduce it. Nice job on your enthusiasm.” On universal
points like pace and volume, glows and grows can be addressed to the whole
group to avoid singling out a student.
Time Durations
Durations for the exercises that follow are shown for a group of 15 to 20 students.
Pitching activities can be modified to reduce duration. For groups of more than
ten, divide kids into groups of four or five. Kids will each pitch in their smaller
group, after which one from each group will be selected to present their pitch at
the front of the class.
In the first activity the “finalist” can be the one who is chosen as best presenter by
the group, but in subsequent activities other kids should be chosen until all have
had a chance to experience the “finals.”
Keep a record of who is in each group and which kids have been finalists. If you
choose to rate the finalists, prizes might be a piece of candy, a coin or dollar, or a
behavior award.
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Facilitator guide:
Teaching a Pitch
Challenge : five lessons
including worksheets
and examples
For multi-site
organizations: Hosting a
Pitch Challenge : plan the
challenge, engage your
community and run
the challenge; timeline,
sample media messages
Blank Worksheets, Forms
and Case Studies:
judging rubric, sample
media release form,
sample participation
and winning certificate
templates, pitching
activities
Support videos and
videos to introduce each
lesson
Sample winning pitch
videos
Best practices filming
Sample flyers and
postcards
Sample thank you
postcards
Make sure to sign up at
yepitch.com to access
these great tools.
Timeline for Implementing a Mini-Pitch Challenge*
BEFORE
THE CHALLENGE
DURING
THE CHALLENGE
AT THE END
OF THE CHALLENGE
Familiarize yourself with the tools
in the Toolkit
Use this Toolkit Guide to teach
the Pitch Challenge lessons
Hold live or video event and
awards ceremony
Decide on schedule for Challenge
Have kids practice presentation
skills for video or live event.
Distribute certificates to winners
and/or participants
Organize panel of two to three
judges
Live: Plan an event by inviting
community members; choosing
a date, time and venue
Video: Make and submit videos
Obtain small prizes like
school supplies, classroom
privileges, gift cards or goodies
Video: Plan for collection of video
entries and judges
Distribute prizes
Debrief and reflect on experience
Thank judges and sponsors,
if applicable
Decide on award levels – i.e., top
three or just participation awards
Identify prizes
*Mini-Pitch Challenge vs Pitch Challenge
A Mini-Pitch Challenge is a single-site program, e.g. your classroom, organization or
school.
A Pitch Challenge is a multi-site program, such as multi-organizations, regional, or
statewide competitions. A comprehensive timeline and step-by-step guide for multisite events are detailed in the Toolkit Hosting a Pitch Challenge Toolkit in Guidebook 2.
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PROBLEM
IDENTIFICATION
Problem Identification
In this exercise it’s important to stay focused on problem identification
and definition. Separating the activities of problem definition and solution
development is a hallmark of design thinking and results in more creative,
effective solutions. The problems defined here are the input used in the
next module.
WARM-UP: Ten Uses for a Shoe
Begin the discussion by asking your kids, “why do we wear shoes?” The answers
will probably be: “to protect our feet from harm” and “keep them clean,” and
maybe, “to improve performance.” Now ask what other uses they can think of for a
shoe aside from wearing it. Either gather ten uses as fast as possible or time them
to see how many they can think up in a minute or two. Common answers are:
planter, door stop, fly swatter, phone holder, bed for small pet, laces to tie things
together. You can write the solutions on the board or tally the idea count on
your fingers.
Another way to run this exercise if you have more time is to use “brainwriting.”
Each kid has a piece of paper and writes down one or more ideas and passes it
to the next person who adds to the list. Once most of the lists have ten items,
ask the kids to raise hands and share. This gives a better chance for good ideas
from shy kids to be heard and everyone is compelled to think of multiple
answers but can be inspired by peers.
MAIN EVENT: A Day in the Life
Talk through a “day in the life” to help kids think more critically about
their life and surroundings to find opportunities for improvement.
Prompt them to think about:
Getting up, having breakfast, packing their backpack, getting to school, using
a locker or desk, wanting snacks, keeping track of homework. What do you do
after school? Do you have a hobby or play sports? How do you interact with
your friends and family? Imagine you’re from another place and seeing these
places and activities for the first time.
A twist on this exercise is to imagine the same activities from the perspective
of someone with limitations – of vision, of hearing, of mobility for example.
This is a good way to nurture empathy.
Write ideas up on the board in a brainstorming fashion.
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Goals
To introduce problem
identification and choose
one or more problems
that are meaningful and
build kids’ interest.
Outcome
One or several problem
ideas that will hold
kids’ interests and
have possibilities to
be developed into a
business idea for a pitch.
FURTHER RESOURCES
VentureLab
Creativity B: Observation
Idea Generation A
Idea Generation B
People Rocket
Imagination
Observation
Interview
Optional Activities
Field trip or virtual visit
Virtual Learning
Chat Rooms
Whiteboard
Problem Identification
continued
Pitching Activities Basics
These simple activities in each of the following sections, give kids a chance to
practice pitching so it becomes more comfortable. Ideally, they should have a
chance to practice each time they gather during the preparation for the Pitch
Challenge.
FU R THER RESOU R CES
Virtual Learning
Breakout Rooms
PITCHING ACTIVITY 1: Scripted Pitches
Kids are provided a pre-written pitch to read and perform, which will help them
become more comfortable speaking in front of a group. Below is one scripted
example, or you can write your own. For larger groups of kids, it’s good to have
varied content to keep it interesting but the content should be similar enough in
length and complexity that each kid is getting a similar level of challenge.
Sample 1
I’m here to tell you about Brain Power Shakes.
Brain Power Shakes are awesome because they are made with fresh, all
organic ingredients and handmade with care.
The reason they are called Brain Power Shakes is because the vitamins
and protein give you the power to learn.
Brain Power Shakes are good for you and the strawberry-banana-coconut
is dairy-free!
Brain Power Shakes are delicious! They are a bargain at only $3 for a
16-ounce cup.
Here are some of the yummy flavors: strawberry-banana-coconut,
berry-peach cream, and coconut ice.
Visit our table at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday. Happy shakes!
Glows and Grows
Constructive feedback is key to formulating a great pitch. See page 6 for a more in
depth explanation of the glows and grows language that facilitates this. It’s important
to establish from the beginning that this is a safe place to make mistakes and practice.
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BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
Business Opportunity
This module is all about creating a business opportunity for the pitch. The Warm-up
offers a fun way to come up with ideas. The Main Event consists of two activities:
• Ideation Pitch Exercise (Worksheet #1) incorporates the problem list from the
first module to create solutions proven to be viable opportunities. Alternatively,
ideas from the warm-up can be tested for viability using this worksheet.
• Explore Value Proposition (Worksheet #2) further defines the opportunity,
introducing the idea of value proposition.
WARM-UP: Invention mash-up
Think up two things and “mash” them together to come up
with a new invention. Either prompt with some ideas or let kids list items and
then combine any two of the ideas.
Examples of existing products:
• Food processor/blender + water bottle = Nutribullet®
• Ear Plugs + headphones = noise cancelling headphones
• Kayak + origami = compact collapsible kayak
• Tapioca pudding + specialty drinks = bubble tea
• Cookie + brownie = brookie
See how many business ideas your group can think up in ten minutes.
This provides a nice segue into the next topic – determining if an idea
is an opportunity.
MAIN EVENT: Opportunity Venn Diagram – Worksheet #1
Goals
To develop an idea and
determine if it is a
business opportunity.
Outcome
One or two business
opportunities that the kids
can get excited about.
FURTHER RESOURCES
VentureLab
Opportunity Analysis A
Opportunity Analysis B
Business Model A
Business Model B
People Rocket
Creativity
Con-dence/Passion Matrix
Successful business owners do what they know about and love, and their
product or service solves a problem or fulfills a need. Use this diagram to qualify
whether the business idea meets those criteria. If so, it is a viable opportunity.
Optional Activities
Speakers: In-person or virtual
Kids can jump right into this worksheet or start by working through an example
on the board. See page 11 for a sample worksheet from a group exercise.
Virtual Learning
Whiteboard
Fillable worksheets
Problems/Needs (left)
List one or more of the problems identified in the first module.
Skills/Resources (right)
List interests, skills, passion, resources available.
Solution → Opportunity
Find connections between left and right to suggest solutions. If starting with
a solution, work backwards to define the problem it solves and the skills and
resources needed to support it.
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Game: Snake Oil
WORKSHEET #1 – IDEATION PITCH EXERCISE
GROUP
EXERCISE
EXAMPLE
Developing a Business Opportunity
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
DETERMINE IF YOUR IDEA IS AN OPPORTUNITY
Pr o b
le m o r N e e d
What problems or
needs do you see in
your life or in your
community?
Schoolwork
/ R e s o u r ce s
Skills
List interests,
skills, passion, resources
available.
Business
Idea
Learning games
Clothes don’t fit
body shapes that
are different
A Personal online
Games: Video,
board
shopping advisor
B Custom-fit clothes
Breaking glasses
in sports
Spill things
Lose things
Unbreakable or
part of
helmet
Fashion
sports
Cooking
Apron
with storage
Successful businesses solve a problem or fill a need
AND
successful business owners do what they love and what they are good at doing.
Is your business idea at the intersection of your skills and customers’ needs?
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WORKSHEET #1 – IDEATION PITCH EXERCISE
CASE STUDY
1
Developing a Business Opportunity
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
DETERMINE IF YOUR IDEA IS AN OPPORTUNITY
le
Pr o b
m or N e e d
What problems or
needs do you see in
your life or in your
community?
Kids are hungry
/ R e s o u r ce s
Skills
Business
Idea
What are you
good at?
What do you
love to do?
- Selling
af ter school
No time or
no ride to
a store
Af ter School
Snack Cart
- Organized
- Summer job
at Dollar Store
Successful businesses solve a problem or fill a need
AND
successful business owners do what they love and what they are good at doing.
Is your business idea at the intersection of your skills and customers’ needs?
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BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
Business Opportunity
continued
Introduce Example Used on Worksheets
The worksheet examples in this section are based on the scenario below. Other
sets of worksheet examples are available in the Worksheets, Forms and Case Studies
Toolkit Guide).
Sam is an organized kid who had a summer job at the Dollar Store. His
friends who play sports or stay after school for other activities complain
about being hungry. He has a little money saved up and is thinking
of starting a business selling snacks.
Putting it Together – Worksheet #2
The diagram in Worksheet #2 is a classic value proposition matrix used in
business. Value proposition is what a product or service uniquely offers to
customers. In order to develop the value proposition for the pitch, complete the
worksheet matrix by answering the questions below.
Customer
Customer versus Consumer
Does your product or service have a different customer and consumer?
A consumer uses the product or service, a customer pays for it. In the Snack Cart
example, the consumers are the classmates but the customers may be parents.
Target customer
Anyone can be a customer, but who is most likely to buy it or use the product or
service? Who is your target customer? Think about what “job” someone is “hiring”
your product or service to do.
Solution (Business Opportunity)
What makes the business unique and better than other solutions?
In the next module there will be additional opportunity to understand and
expand on this concept of unique competitive advantage.
Problem
What problem(s) does it solve?
Input the relevant problems/needs identified on Worksheet #1 and perhaps
expand on them.
Team (You)
How are you best suited to providing this product or service?
Input the relevant skills/resources identified on Worksheet #1 and expand on them.
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CASE STUDY
WORKSHEET #2 – EXPLORE VALUE PROPOSITION
1
Putting it Together
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
COMPLETE THIS TABLE TO CREATE CONTENT FOR THE BODY OF YOUR PITCH
Your Product or Service
Sam’s Af ter School Snack Cart
Customer
Who is the target customer?
Who is most likely to buy or will be first to buy?
Consumer: kids at
my school
Customer: Parents
who give kids $
Team (You)
What special assets or qualities do you possess
that make this a good business for you?
• Available af ter
school
• able to buy snacks
in bulk
• Locker for
storage
Problem
What is the customer’s problem?
Why do they buy?
Kids are hungry after
school
No ability or time
to go to a store
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Solution
How do you uniquely solve the problem?
What is different and better about your solution
compared to other customer choices? Why buy
from you?
Convenient-on site
Variety of drinks
and snacks
Pre-order?
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITY
Business Opportunity
continued
PITCHING ACTIVITY 2: Pitching Improv
Kids can draw from a set of index cards with topics written on them
or a prompt can be assigned to the entire class. Give the students
about five minutes to prepare and then present their 30- to 90-second
pitch to the class.
Topics should be selected based on what is age appropriate for the kids.
Examples include:
• your school
• your favorite sport or hobby
• a charitable cause
• your favorite type of pet
• your favorite restaurant
• your favorite food
• your favorite game
The topics could also be chosen to align with a theme of study from the
class or program.
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PITCH CONTENT,
STRUCTURE
Pitch Content and Structure: What Makes a Great Elevator Pitch?
An elevator pitch concisely and enthusiastically explains what your idea is or
what your company does. It should spark interest, be brief, persuasive and
compelling. It is important that the message is in some way memorable.
Take-aways are the uniqueness and /or advantages of your idea or company.
Pitching is a skill that can be applied in many situations. Cite examples such as
asking to get a puppy or new computer or later, a job or a promotion. Your pitch
should motivate the listener to want to learn more about you and your idea.
WARM-UP and/or
PITCHING ACTIVITY 3: Favorite Cookie
Warm-up: This exercise reinforces the concept of the value proposition. Start by
revisiting the idea that successful businesses differentiate from competitors by
articulating their value proposition. Ask kids to name their favorite fast food restaurant
and why it is better than a competitor. Price? Location? Menu options? Quality?
Next, invite two kids to the front of the room. Explain that they are promoting
their favorite cookie. Take turns in the following sequence so both kids have a
chance to think of original ideas: Person #1 names one advantage; Person #2
names two advantages. Person #1 names two more advantages; Person #2
names a third advantage. Use the differences between the answers to illustrate
that even products in the same space can have unique selling points.
Pitching Activity: List several types of cookies, such as Oreos and fancy bakery
cookies. Ask why someone would buy one over another and how much people
would pay for each. Have kids each come up with a favorite cookie – one that
already exists or an idea for a new one. Give kids two minutes to devise unique
competitive advantages. Then have them pitch their cookie ideas.
MAIN EVENT: Message Map – Worksheet #3
The Message Map is one way for kids to structure ideas for an effective pitch.
Further Resources (to the right) list several other options.
The Hook Create a catchy phrase to introduce the pitch. It could be a question
or statement related to the problem solved by the business.
Unique Competitive Advantages How is the product/service different, better or
unique? Then whittle those advantages to one or two key words.
Details Statistics, data or examples support the advantages, add credibility and
persuasiveness.
Call to Action It is important for business pitches to include a way listeners can
learn more and buy the product or service. If the business is imaginary, visualize a
website or location. Contact method should be appropriate for business type.
Be sure kids identify themselves and/or their business name in the pitch.
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Goals
To understand what
makes a great pitch and
formulate one.
Outcome
Draft pitch script.
FUR THER RESOURCES
VentureLab
Intro to Entrepreneurship B
Pitching A
Pitching B
People Rocket
Entrepreneurship Story Spine
Optional Activities
Coaching
Watch the Forbes message
map video in the Toolkit,
appropriate for middle and
high school kids.
Virtual Learning
Reverse engineer a video
and complete a fillable PDF
worksheet
CASE STUDY
WORKSHEET #3 – MESSAGE MAP PITCH EXERCISE
1
Telling Your Story
PITCH CONTENT,
STRUCTURE
1
Create a Hook:
What are you selling? Keep it short but informative. Ask a question; describe a problem you have
that your business/product solves. This is a story in which you are trying to elicit a response. Remember,
it doesn’t have to be real, they can be made up. Be sure it includes the name of your business.
Hook – A Compelling Introduction
Sam will satisfy your hunger!
2
How is your business different and better? These are your Unique Competitive Advantages.
Advantage #1
Convenient
Advantage #2
Advantage #3
Pre-order
your favorites
Variety
3
Details
For a longer and more persuasive pitch, add details about each advantage – be specific.
•
•
•
On site
Open after school • Pick what you likeCan get before or • so many choices!
after your program • Nut-free options
4
Call to Action
•
•
•
Have it waiting
for you
Get it quickly
Make sure we
have i t
How can your customer connect with you? If you don’t actually have a business, you can pretend, like
“yummybrownies.com” or “The Yummy Shop on Main Street.”
Find us in the main hallway from 2:30 to 4:30 every day!
Be sure to personalize your pitch with your name and to identify your business by its name.
Your name
Sam
Your business name
Satisfying Sam’s Snack Cart
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CASE STUDY
Sample Pitch
Satisfying Sam’s Snack Cart
Are you hungry after school? Do you participate in
sports, drama or other after school activities? Haven’t eaten
since lunch? Could you use a snack to give you energy
to continue your day and perform well after school?
Come to Satisfying Sam’s Snack Cart, conveniently
located in the main hallway every day and satisfy your hunger!
We have lots of choices of drinks and snacks, are
well-stocked and you can even order the snack or drink of
your choice ahead of time so you will be sure we have it.
I’m Sam. My Satisfying Snack Cart is open from 2:30 to
4:30 so you can get a snack quickly before, during
or even after your program.
1
PITCH CONTENT,
STRUCTURE
All of these sections need to be
included in the pitch. Any can be
expanded for a more persuasive
and compelling pitch.
The Hook
Ask a question that describes
the problem that your product
or service will solve.
Introduce product or service
by the business name and
how it addresses the Hook.
Advantages and Details
Specifically, say what makes
your business different
and better.
Call to Action!
Tell your customer how
to connect with you.
Remember to include
your name and the
name of your business
somewhere in the pitch.
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PITCH
PRACTICE
Pitch Practice
The stopwatch icon provides a basis for timing but activities may run longer
for a larger group of kids.
WARM UP: Elevator Pitch Essentials – Worksheet #4
Act out or find video samples in the online Toolkit folder of good and
poor pitches and ask kids to identify what is done well and poorly. See how
many qualities they can name before you hand out Worksheet #4. You can
also act out the properties on worksheet #4 and have the kids guess them.
MAIN EVENT: Iterative Practice
It is essential to know the material well enough to speak without reading
the pitch or seeming to recite from memory. Confidence with the pitch
content comes from familiarity as well as practice. One way to build
familiarity is to engage in dialog about your idea.
Have kids work in small groups, taking turns to present their pitches and
giving constructive feedback to each other. One technique to guide this is
“glows” and “grows.” See page 6 for a more in depth explanation of the glows
and grows language. It’s important to establish from the beginning that this
is a safe place to make mistakes and practice.
Goals
To improve presentation
skills and have kids
become confident in
delivering their pitch.
Outcome
Confident presentation
of pitch.
FUR THER RESOURCES
VentureLab
Pitching B
Optional Activities
Judging
Presentation Boards
Cue Cards
During the critique period, the listeners can ask questions such as:
Who is your target customer?
What gave you this idea?
Why are you excited about this opportunity?
What makes your product or service better than competitors’?
Give kids time before the end of the lesson to revise their pitches
with any new ideas that emerged in the discussion.
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PITCH
PRACTICE
Pitch Practice
continued
PITCHING ACTIVITY 4: Pen Exercise
Optional: start by showing the “Milkshake” video from the Toolkit resource folder.
This introduces the marketing concept of a customer “hiring” a product or
service to perform a certain “job,” as in “what job are you hiring that milkshake
to do for you?”
Now hold up these pictures* of pens (or use actual pens) and answer the
following questions for each one.
• What job does each pen do uniquely well?
• What features demonstrate this?
• Why is it different and better than other solutions like it?
• Who is the target market for this product? Who cares about these differences?
Next, instruct kids to come up with another type of pen (existing or imaginary).
For example, a pen with a built in LED for writing in the dark. Have each kid
describe in 15 to 30 seconds why their pen is different and better and who
would care about these differences, using the guidelines in the instructions to
accommodate larger groups of kids.
*A larger size picture of the pens is available in the Worksheets, Forms and Case
Studies Toolkit Guide.
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You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
WORKSHEET #4 – PITCH ANALYSIS
Elevator Pitch Essentials
PITCH
PRACTICE
30 to 90 seconds long
Verbal business card
Goal – Make them more curious and then stop
Two “PIPES” to a great pitch:
Projection, Inflection, Pace, Eye Contact, Stance
Projection
Speak clearly, articulate, and speak loud enough.
Inflection
Vary the tone and emphasize key words.
Pace
Talk at a normal speed for you, not too slow, not too fast.
Eye Contact
Look at the audience or individual and maintain
eye contact to engage the listener.
Stance
Stand confidentally straight. Use moderate movements
like hand gestures for emphasis.
People, Information, Practice, Enthusiasm, Style
People
Know your audience.
Information
Make sure your content is clear and concise.
Practice
Be prepared; practice is critical to a successful pitch.
Enthusiasm
If you are not excited, the audience will not be either.
Smile occasionally; it is a universal indicator that draws
people in, projects positivity, and is encouraging in
building a relationship with the customer.
Style
Be yourself. Be sincere. Be engaging and personable.
You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
21
Coaching and Filming
It is always important to be mindful of using the names, videos and
photos of minors. Be sure to follow the guidelines/permissions of your
organization’s privacy and media policies before posting any pictures
or videos of kids or their ideas. Typically, a media release form, signed by a parent or
guardian, is required before a minor’s name or photo can be included in any public
media. A good practice is to include only the first name of the minor. Obtain and
keep on file the Media Release Forms (sample in the Worksheets, Forms and Case
Studies Toolkit Guide.)
WARM UP: Practice, Practice, Practice
Kids can work alone, in pairs or in small groups to polish the presentations.
If technology is available, kids can make test videos of themselves or
each other.
Coaching: Helping the Speaker
Having the speaker practice their pitch in front of you is the best way to
help them. Do remind them to practice at home in front of a mirror, with a
friend or parent or using their phone. Time the presentation to make sure it’s
approximately 30 to 90 seconds and adjust the content if necessary.
Remind the speaker to stand up straight and look at the judge or the camera,
both of which give the impression of confidence and credibility.
Remember that the content and delivery of the pitch are the most important
parts. Coach kids on this and try to get them to just talk to you. Be encouraging,
approachable, and friendly. Most kids are nervous and your real job is to make
them comfortable telling you their amazing idea.
Coaches can be another facilitator, a peer or near-peer, volunteer or parent.
Coaches should be patient, have good rapport with the kids, and make them feel
at ease and confident about presenting.
MAIN EVENT : Live Presentation Preparation
Filming is a great way for kids to practice and improve their pitches even if you
are having kids pitch live to judges. A live pitch is a performance and like a play, it
must be practiced.
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You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
COACHING
& FILMING
Goals
Coach the speakers for
either live or recorded
presentations and
record the videos if
using that format.
Outcome
Finished video or
preparation for live
presentation.
Checklist:
HELPING THE SPEAKERS
Practice
Time the presentation
Remind kids to
stand up straight,
make eye contact
sU e a key points
c“ ue card” (
optional)
Be encouraging with
specific feedback
Coaching and Filming
COACHING
& FILMING
continued
Filming
Filming Pitches - How to Film a Pitch
Movie success depends on many factors, including the director and producer.
The kids may be great screenwriters and actors but if the producer, director or
camera crew does poorly, the movie may be unsuccessful. The sections below
offer guidance and best practices for filming.
Before Filming
Select your device for filming (video camera, iPad, smart phone, etc.) The day
before you will be filming, test the device to confirm you know exactly how to
use it and that it is working correctly. Make sure the batteries are charged and
you have all the cords needed to plug it in.
Checklist:
BEFORE FILMING
Test device
Charge batteries
Cords
Tripod
Check device memory
Know how to store files
If possible, use a tripod as this makes for a smooth, no-shake video. If a tripod
is not available, be careful to hold filming device away from the body so your
breathing isn’t audible.
Back-up device, if possible
Know and understand the memory capacity of your device. Will you be storing
the videos on a memory chip? If so, how much capacity does it have? Will you be
storing the video in the Cloud (e.g., Google Drive or Dropbox) or on the device
itself? Have a plan for getting the files stored and entered after filming.
Instruct film crew
If possible, have a second (back-up) device ready. Bring it with you for filming.
Reserve a quiet space for filming. This can be a classroom that is not being used
or even a closet or the corner of a hallway. You do not need a lot of space but
you do need decent illumination and acoustics – echoes and shadows can be
distracting for the judges.
Reserve quiet location
Check lighting of location
Secure and train coach
FILMING DAY
Class roster
Timing device
Tape forc“ ue card”
Filming Day
If filming multiple kids on one device, use a roster to manage the order
of filming so it’s easier to rename the video files later and to keep track of
who has completed their video.
If possible, have a coach available to prepare each kid “on deck” before filming.
Encourage practice in front of the camera before filming. Instruct the kids
when to start and where to look. Have the speaker write key words on paper
and tape them to the front of the camera or tripod, just under the lens of your
filming device. This will allow the speaker to glance at their notes while still
looking into the camera. Think of the notes as “cue cards.” You may need to
remind the speakers by using hand signals to look at the camera and not to
focus only on the paper. Many kids like knowing that the summary sheet is
there but won’t always use it. It is a nice crutch if needed.
continues>
You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
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COACHING
& FILMING
Coaching and Filming
continued
During practice, time the presentation to make sure it’s approximately
30 to 90 seconds.
Test the sound and lighting of the film by reviewing a sample video. Set the
camera at eye level or slightly above. Stay in focus. Avoid zooming in and out.
If you decide to allow retakes, make careful notes so you know
which is the best version. Even better, delete the mistakes so there’s
no need for later review, which can be very time consuming.
Art Directing
Have the speaker stand in front of a solid wall such as a black board or a
classroom wall. Remove any posters or notes on the wall behind the speaker.
Ideally, there should be nothing in the frame of the picture except the speaker.
This includes cords, clocks, posters, door frames, light switches, etc. This is not
always possible, but try to make the picture frame only the speaker.
Make sure that there is even lighting and that no funny shadows fall on or
surround the speaker.
For sound, make sure that the kid speaks in a normal voice and the camera is
picking it up well. Be aware of and avoid distracting background noise, such as
band practice or thumps from the gym.
If you are filming outdoors, make sure that you consider what is in the
background, the lighting, and avoid any extra noises that might be picked up
on the video. Avoid direct sunlight and glare. All of these can be distracting
to the judges.
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You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
Checklist:
ART DIRECTION
Solid wall–no clutter
Even lighting
Sound check/noise check
Outdoor location check
A Tips for Kidsfiyer with a
Filming Checklist and Elevator
Pitch Essentials is available in
the Worksheets, Forms and Case
Studies Toolkit.
Reflection
Reflection is an important part of the learning experience. Whether the pitch
program is a live or video event, make sure there is an opportunity to reflect on
the experience afterward.
The kids just tried the entrepreneurial mindset. This is great training for other
entrepreneurial endeavors or programs and beyond. Either in open discussion or
by journaling, take a little time to consider the following questions with them:
What did you like about the Pitch Challenge? What did you learn?
What did you do well? What would you do differently next time?
How might you use these skills in the future? If you started a business now,
what might it be?
Gratitude
A handwritten note is a great way to show appreciation and gratitude toward
your judges, mentors, speakers, places you visited, anyone who helped you along
the way, including your parents! Not only is it the right and polite thing to do, it
builds relationships, is memorable, makes you memorable and it also may make
someone’s day!
Here are some fun ideas to add to your note:
My passion is . . .
My business idea is . . .
I enjoyed . . .
I can’t wait to . . .
Your input/comments meant . . .
Your encouragement has . . .
I really appreciated your . . .
This experience has . . .
THANK
YOU
What is important is that you personally are taking the time to acknowledge the
encouragement you received and build good will. Use notepaper, a blank card
or the printable postcard with the Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge logo
available in the Worksheets, Forms and Case Studies Toolkit.
You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
25
SO YOUR KIDS HAVE THIS GREAT IDEA AND A GREAT PITCH,
Now What?
9–12
BizWorld YES!
Free program for the individual student for funding and mentorship. For 20 years, BizWorld.org®
has been teaching children across the U.S. and in 100 countries around the world
how to run a business. Through their YES (Young Entrepreneur Success) program,
students get a chance to participate in a business accelerator program, receive
mentorship, and attend interactive workshops. Kids “Pitch Live” for a chance to
win startup funding and mentorship to take their businesses to the next level.
Check it out at: https://bizworld.org/YES
K–12
EdCorps Program at Real World Scholars
Fee-based, comprehensive program for classrooms from an idea to selling the product.
Real World Scholars collaborate with an amazing community to create scalable
spaces, tools, and opportunities for young people to learn and thrive beyond
the walls of the classroom. The EdCorp Program allows classrooms to run an
e-commerce business with the support of curriculum, programs, and community.
https://www.realworldscholars.org/edcorps
2–12
VentureLab Spark Mentorship Program
Free mentorship and funding for individuals and two-member teams. Start a business or
scale it up! Youth ages 8–18 work one-on-one with a VentureLab mentor over
four months to grow specific entrepreneurial mindsets and advance their
entrepreneurial idea. They receive up to $500 in resources to develop
their idea into a working prototype or scale an existing business and also
get to discuss their idea with an established entrepreneur.
Apply at https://venturelab.org/venturelab-spark/
K–12
Young Entrepreneur Market
Free program for kids in Northeast Ohio* ready to sell a product. YEI’s Young Entrepreneur
Market provides a real-world selling opportunity at farmers markets and
community events. Students gain important skills and knowledge about
product development, customer interaction, pricing and pitching. Go to
youngentrepreneurmarket.org to view the calendar and reserve a market date!
K–12
Maker’s Spaces
Prototype design for individual students. To make a prototype, check out your local
makers spaces located in many communities, libraries and schools.
*Outside Northeast Ohio, we are happy to consult with you and provide assistance
in planning and starting a successful youth market experience.
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You n g E n t re p re n e u r P I TC H C H A LLE N G E
Other Pitch
Competitions and
Resources
After completing a Pitch
Challenge, these resources
will help take your business
idea to the next level.
You can access YEI Pitch
Challenge here:
yepitch.com
Competitions: There
are many different pitch
competitions you can enter.
Make sure you check out
BizInnovator’s competition,
which complements YEI’s
Pitch Challenge.
https://bit.ly/yeiresourcescontest
Resources: Check out our
Resource Directory for
other opportunities to
further your entrepreneurial
mindset. https://bit.ly/
yeiresource-directory
Reflection
Live Presentation/Filming
Coaching
and Filming
Practice, Practice, Practice
Pen Exercise
Pitch Practice
Pitch
Practice
Good and Bad Pitch Examples
Iterative Practice
Message Map
Pitch Content,
Structure
Favorite Things/Favorite Cookie
Pitch Improv
Putting It All Together
Opportunity Venn Diagram
Business
Opportunity
Invention/Mash-up
Scripted Pitch
Day in the Life
Creating a Safe Space
Correlation to Ohio Learning
Standards for English Language Arts
Grades 6, 7 and 8
Ten Uses for a Shoe
Problem
Identification
Reading
Informational
Cite Textural Evidence to Support Analysis RI 6.1 ,7.1, 8.1
Meaning of Words RI 6.4, 7.4, 8.4
Author’s Perspective/Purpose RI 6.6, 7.6, 8.6
Integrate Information Presented in Different Media RI 6.7
Compare and Contrast/Analyze Information from
Multiple Sources RI 6.9, 7.9, 8.9
Read and Comprehend Nonfiction Text RI 6.10, 7.10, 8.10
Write Argument to Support Claims W 6.1, 7.1, 8.1
Write to Task, Purpose and Audience W 6.4, 7.4, 8.4
Writing
Develop Writing Through Editing Process W 6.5, 7.5, 8.5
Produce and Publish Work Using Technology
W 6.6, 7.6, 8.6
Quote/Paraphrase Data and Conclusions of Others
W 6.8, 7.8, 8.8
Draw Evidence From Other Texts to Support Ideas
W 6.9. 7.9, 8.9
Write Routinely Over Extended Time Frames
W 6.10, 7.10, 8.10
Speaking/Listening
Collaborative Discussions SL 6.1, 7.1, 8.1
Interpret/Analyze Information from Various Media
Formats SL 6.2, 7.2, 8.2
Delineate Speaker’s Argument and Specific Claims
SL 6.3, 7.3, 8.3
Present Claims and Findings: Appropriate Eye Contact,
Volume and Pronunciation SL 6.4, 7.4, 8.4
Include Multimedia Components in Presentation
SL 6.5, 7.5, 8.5
Adapt Speech to a Variety of Contexts SL 6.6, 7.6, 8.6
Language
Demonstrate Command of English: Grammar and Usage
L 6.1, 7.1, 8.1
Demonstrate Command of English:
Capitalization, Punctuation and Spelling L 6.2, 7.2, 8.2
Knowledge of Language and Conventions L 6.3, 7.3, 8.3
Determine or Clarify Meaning of Unknown Words
L 6.4, 7.4, 8.4
Demonstrate Understanding of Figurative Language, Word
Relationships and Nuances in Meanings L 6.5, 7.5, 8.5
Acquire and Use Grade Appropriate Academic and
Domain Specific Words/Phrases L 6.6, 7.6, 8.6.
Standards 6.5, 7.5 and 8.5 are covered based on students’ use of visuals or graphics in their presentations.
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Young Entrepreneur Institute at University School
2785 SOM Center Road
Hunting Valley, OH 44022
216-831-2200
yepitch@us.edu