Pitch Compression
Compress everything into five answers. Seven words max each. If it takes more, you don't understand it yet.
Business Alignment
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Venture name | [name] |
| All upstream phases complete? | YES / NO — which is missing? |
| What conviction level is this compression? | HIGH / MEDIUM / LOW / NONE |
| Who is the audience for this pitch? | [specific person or segment] |
Tight Five Answers
Each answer maps to a source phase. The answer is discovered, not invented.
| # | Question | Source Phase | Answer (max 7 words) | Meme Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why does this matter? | DISCOVER — the friction | pass / fail | |
| 2 | What truths guide you? | VALIDATE — verified principles | pass / fail | |
| 3 | What do you control? | MODEL — your platform | pass / fail | |
| 4 | What do you see others don't? | VALIDATE — your edge | pass / fail | |
| 5 | How do you know it's working? | FINANCE — your metrics | pass / fail |
Meme Test
Show the five answers to someone with zero context. Can they grasp all five in 30 seconds?
- If YES → pass
- If NO → which answer requires insider knowledge? Rewrite that one.
Rhetoric Framework
Map five rhetoric elements to each answer. This is how the answers land.
| Element | What It Does | Which Answer It Strengthens | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethos (credibility) | "You can trust me because..." | [specific credential or proof] | |
| Logos (logic) | "The numbers say..." | [specific data point] | |
| Pathos (emotion) | "You feel this because..." | [specific pain or aspiration] | |
| Kairos (timing) | "Now, because..." | [specific window or urgency] | |
| Topos (shared ground) | "We both know..." | [specific common experience] |
Pep Talk
Sell yourself first. Before you pitch anyone else, answer: why should YOU keep going?
Write 3-5 sentences using all five Tight Five answers. This is the version you say to yourself at 2am when conviction wavers.
[Write pep talk here]
Pitch (Outer Loop)
Now align others. Same five answers, reframed for the audience.
Write 3-5 sentences that make the audience lean forward. Use all five rhetoric elements.
[Write pitch here]
Pitch Versions
| Format | Length | Audience | Key Rhetoric |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevator | 30 seconds / 2 sentences | Cold intro | Pathos + Kairos |
| Coffee | 5 minutes / 1 page | Warm intro | All five |
| Boardroom | 15 minutes / 5 slides | Decision maker | Logos + Ethos |
| Written | 1 page / ~300 words | Email or brief | Logos + Topos |
Sentence Test
Compress the entire pitch into one sentence:
"[Target user] wastes [resource] on [friction]. We [solution] so they can [outcome]. The proof: [metric]."
Questions
Which of the five answers do you believe least — and does that weakness show up in the rhetoric mapping?
- If the pep talk doesn't convince YOU, what would need to be true for it to?
- Which rhetoric element is missing from your pitch — and is that the element your audience cares about most?
- Can someone who has never heard of your venture repeat your five answers after reading them once?