You've Got 5 Minutes.
Each Second Matters.
Pitch Strategy and Performance Coaching
A pitch has 4 essential components, and I've seen dozens of mistakes made in each one.
Here's what's to know:
Click each box below:
A pitch is a story with a critically important sequential arc. Yet, in so many pitches I see, story elements are out of order. This is like reading a novel where we meet the hero at the end, the happy ending comes before the conflict, and so forth. If the story is out of sequence, the brain contorts – i.e. judges disengage, even if they don’t know why.
Most founders are not thinking through the story and try to tell it before they’ve proven the argument. Countless pitches fail to prove their case because the argument hasn't been mapped with meticulous care.
When your thinking isn't rigorously tested, glaring flaws go unseen and you pitch with great vulnerability: lacking or weak customer validation, weak proof-of-concept, inadequate market fit
I’ve seen pitches without competitive analysis, current conditions, market data, current sales, founder history, distribution channels, revenue/business model, MVP, next step plans, and so much more!
Pitchers with effective strategy have thought through their business from every angle,
then know what their story is, where its elements go and when to share them.
How would you rate yourself on your structure and strategy on a 1-10 scale?
Your script must be founded on proper strategy. Then come the words you choose to unfurl your story and they will make or break your pitch.
What do you say in the hook? How do you describe the problem – (because nothing is more important! If this is flat, you’re done.) How do you describe your value? What are your parting words?
Every single word you speak is prime real estate and cannot be wasted.
I’ve seen important science and society-shifting innovations revealed with dull, cliché, confusing language that loses the pitch.
I’ve seen founders fail to clearly convey their competitive edge or explain complexities simply; speak too long on one subject and not enough on another. Transitions in the script are choppy. The ending lacks the “climactic” rise of all great storytelling, tying back to the hook and leaving audiences inspired.
For those where English is a second language, script-development is a particular burden. I am always honored to relieve them of it!
Compelling scripts take the story’s unassailable argument
and uses original, riveting, creative, tight, clear, and inspirational language to tell it.
How would you rate yourself on your script’s language on a 1-10 scale.
The deck tells your story visually. One mistake can distract a judge who never recovers from it. I correct the following types of mistakes all the time:
- Details: wrong grammar, missing punctuation, off-center headlines, inconsistent fonts and sizes, improper use of brand colors.
- Images: image does not match script (biggest mistake I see); too many competing images on a slide; no image on a slide; poor resolution or amateur-style image; poor graph choices.
- Branding: Deck theme is dull, strident or brand inconsistent; unprofessional looking logo; font color scheme is off or inconsistent.
- Content: too much text; wrong key word choices; no headline or wrong headline.
Like every word choice, each slide is precious real estate.
Winning decks speak a thousand words.
They convey your brand's personality, your own professionalism, your attention to detail (judges spot those small errors and wonder how many you make in business), and your business’s viability. Your business can have great market potential – but a weak deck leaves an impression on judges of a weak business.
How would you rate the quality of your deck on a 1-10 scale?
Pitching is arguably one of the highest-stakes communication environments there is. It can be terrifying. BUT you can feel in control of every minute instead.
How you deliver your life's passion is nothing short of everything.
I don’t count nervousness as a mistake; it’s natural and judges forgive it. But other performance elements must be perfected:
- Using proper sing-song rhythm in delivery – knowing when to lift a word and when to drop one;
- When to emphasize a sentence with pauses, growing volume, or by speaking slowly;
- When to smile and when to look judges straight in the eye with seriousness:
- When to walk and when to keep your hips square and legs planted.
This cadence must be strategized. Then it must be honed with constant practice.
I work in-person and virtually with pitchers to identify the cadence that’s right for their story and how to say each word, as well as where they must position themselves on stage. We go over every line the way actors do.
Nervousness falls away with preparation - and with the realization that
when your story is delivered with life, confidence and control surges.
How would you rate the quality of your performances on a 1-10 scale?
Lizabeth brings an incredible warmth to every interaction—she creates a space where you feel both supported and challenged to grow. Her interactive pitching guidance is exceptional; she doesn’t just give feedback, she actively works with you in real time, shaping your message, sharpening your delivery, and helping you find your authentic voice. Her coaching style is dynamic, intuitive, and genuinely empowering.
Available Opportunities to Improve Your Pitch:
If You've Never Pitched Before and Want:
- Before-the-Pitch Structure: Here, we fail-proof the logic of your argument and the sequence of your storytelling, including a powerful hook and ending, before touching the “pitch.” I offer 3, 45-minute sessions. Come with what you’ve got (or with nothing at all) and we’ll get it right: clear, impactful, original and persuasive.
- Storytelling: Next, I craft customized language for your script up to 5 minutes with deck scaffolding. One cannot be created without the other. This does not entail detailed deck design, but slide text and imagery implementation can be requested for an additional fee.
- Precision Delivery Coaching – 3 live sessions with meticulous attention to your performance of every line. How you portray yourself and your vision is 85% of your pitch!
Before any decision can be made, a conversation is crucial to sort out your true needs.
Email me and we’ll schedule a free call.
If You're on the Pitching Circuit and Need:
- 90-Minute Pitch Diagnostic Session
A live, intensive session where I identify and prioritize what must be fixed, and give you immediate direction. You’ll leave knowing what to do and what to ignore. - Full Pitch Diagnostic
A comprehensive review of your deck and script via 1-1 video conference with detailed verbal recommendations. A written analysis is available at an additional fee. - All follow-up needs are negotiated after initial diagnostic and might include: detailed deck design strategy (not implementation) and/or text improvement; or reinvented/reconstructed scripts.
- Precision Delivery Coaching: 3 live sessions with meticulous attention to your performance of every line. How you portray yourself and your vision is 85% of your pitch!
- Final 48-Hour Pitch Fix
For high-stakes situations when something isn’t working and time is short. I identify the most critical breakdowns and help you correct them quickly, so you walk in clear, confident, and in control.
Don’t put the burden on yourself to figure out what needs fixing.
Email me and we’ll schedule a conversation to identify what’s actually in the way.
Gabriela Tutalo won $10,000 as first-place winner at a
Montclair University competition.
Dr. Anniesha Walker won 3rd place
and the Audience Choice Award for most compelling pitch at a Montclair University competition.
Chanice Fish won several pitches and bank loans with the pitch we developed and officially opened her (very successful) restaurant November 2025!
Andrea Harvey won first-place
at a New Jersey Institute of Technology Pitch Competition.
© 2026 Lizabeth Phelps | Inspired Leaders’ Academy (ILA).
Revenue Strategy |
Pitch Coaching |
Classes for Founders & Students