u/One-Trust-1985

I’m wondering what steps you usually follow to prepare for a pitch, not necessarily to a VC.

Do you write it down first? Do you practice in front of a mirror or record yourself? Do you rehearse with friends or coworkers? Do you pay attention to what you wear or how you present yourself?

I’m also curious about how you decide what parts of the pitch need the most practice. Do you focus more on the opening, the main points, or the questions you might get afterward?

How many times do you usually practice before you feel ready?

I’d be very interested in hearing your preparation process and any tips that have made a real difference for you.

I'm usually a pretty solid public speaker. Coworkers, past and current, have told me I'm good at it. So when I got asked to present for 15 minutes in front of the CEO and the directors, I was nervous but said yes.

I actually prepared a lot. I ran through it at home several times and nailed it every single time. But the moment I got called up on stage, I just froze.

I couldn't see straight, couldn't hear properly, couldn't speak, could barely breathe. My mind went blank and I stumbled through the whole thing. My voice was shaking so bad that the more I tried to push through, the worse it got. My Apple Watch kept buzzing because my heart rate went past 120bpm while I was standing up there lol.

I left the room and cried in my office right after. A couple coworkers saw me and said it "wasn't that bad" but I know exactly how bad it was. Everyone was polite about it but I could tell some of them were disappointed, maybe even judging me a little.

Now I can't look people in the eye without feeling like they're talking about me behind my back.

Here's the problem. I already have another presentation coming up very soon, and I'm honestly terrified it's going to happen again. How do I even walk into that room without falling apart? Any advice on how to actually get through the next one would help a lot.