Pitching a Shark - Part I

On March 14th, we will be pitching Shark Tank's Daymond John during the PayPal Duel at SXSW in Austin, TX.

A few weeks ago, PayPal sought out six small businesses to compete for a chance to win $30,000 and mentoring from Daymond John. When they approached us about Earhoox, we couldn't say "yes" fast enough. The voting opened at https://www.paypal-sxswduel.com/, but only the top two businesses would be given the opportunity to pitch live at SXSW. As we watched the lead exchange hands a few times, we enlisted the help of our customers, friends, & family, who showed up in droves to support us. The competition was fierce, going up against companies that had raised more than $1.5M on Kickstarter, but our fans proved to be unstoppable catapulting us to first, and sending us on our way Austin.

For three years, I have been working at LinkedIn by day and simultaneously building a business by night. I consider myself incredibly lucky to work for a company that not just allows for, but actually fosters an environment that thrives on dreaming big, having fun, and getting sh*t done. This experience of starting a business has made me a better partner to my clients at LinkedIn, and vice versa, my experience at LinkedIn has made me a better entrepreneur. The consistent learning keeps me engaged in both roles, and allows me a unique perspective on my everyday goals. Now, I need to take that learning to a new level as we prepare to pitch a Shark.

Next Saturday, at SXSW, we will be pitching Daymond John live in PayPal's Social Media Lounge on why Earhoox deserves to win this investment, and perhaps more importantly, Daymond's time.

In preparation, I want to hear your best advice for pitching a Shark. What would you do on stage?

Regardless of the outcome, I will report back about the experience after the event with a second post, Pitching a Shark - Part II. Stay tuned, and let's hope it's good news!

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I am currently a Relationship Manager in Talent Solutions at LinkedIn & the Co-Founder of earhoox. I share content regularly on LinkedIn and as @JLBex on Twitter.