For team leads 1. The update people remember
Use it for: Team meetings, project updates, sprint demos, the monthly all-hands.
- Step 1 Before Where we were. One sentence, no jargon.
- Step 2 Turn The moment something changed. A decision, a surprise, a phone call.
- Step 3 After Where we are now.
- Step 4 Proof One number, date or real example that backs it up.
Example (made up, steal the shape)
In March, onboarding took us three weeks. Then a new hire told us she spent her first week waiting for a laptop. We now order the laptop the day the contract is signed. New people start working on day two, and last month every new hire shipped something in their first week.
Tip: If there is no turn, it is a status report. Find the moment something changed and start the story there.
For students, job seekers and new joiners 2. "Tell me about yourself"
Use it for: Job interviews, networking drinks, your first day in a new team, the round of introductions at a conference.
- Step 1 Moment One specific moment that shaped your path. Not your CV.
- Step 2 Lesson What it taught you, in one line.
- Step 3 Now What you do today because of it.
- Step 4 Next Why you are in this room: this job, this team, this event.
Example (made up, steal the shape)
When I was sixteen I worked in my uncle's bike shop, and I noticed people bought from the mechanic who explained the repair, not the cheapest one. That stuck: people trust what they understand. So now I study data science, and I am the one in every group project who explains the model to the rest. That is why I applied here, you need someone who can talk to both sides.
Tip: Keep it under 60 seconds. Practise it out loud, not in your head. It always sounds different out loud.
For founders and anyone with an idea 3. The 30-second pitch
Use it for: Investor intros, sales calls, an internal proposal, the elevator.
- Step 1 Who One real person who has the problem. Give them a name or a job.
- Step 2 Pain What the problem costs them today, in time, money or nerves.
- Step 3 Change What is different with your idea.
- Step 4 Ask One clear next step. Just one.
Example (made up, steal the shape)
Meet Sara, she runs a bakery with six staff. Every Sunday night she spends two hours on the rota, and someone always ends up double booked. Our app builds the rota from everyone's availability in two minutes. Can I show you a demo next week?
Tip: Start with the person, not the product. People lean in for a person. They lean back for a feature list.