I have been fortune enough to have been on the pit crew with a number of my clients, especially in the renewable energy sector, as they go out for new financing. It’s always a lot of fun for me--mostly because as the hired help I don’t have to actually stare some ice-blooded guy at Morgan in the face and ask him for $10M without laughing.
But coming up with the messages and material that make a great investor pitch—without setting off the investors’ ever-more-sensitive bullshit detectors—is very rewarding. If you’re about to make that pitch, check out this great collection of Financiers' Pet Peeves from BusinessWeek.com. This kick-ass piece by Stacy Perman includes such advice as being in too much of a hurry, talking about yourself too much and using that deal-killing phrase: "Serial Entrepreneur."
