Pitching to a Potential Investor

A small business owner presents their business plan and financial projections to a potential investor, seeking funding for expansion or startup costs.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

Lisa (Female)

Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today, Mr. Johnson. I'm Lisa Chen, founder of 'Green Eats' healthy meal delivery service.

James (Male)

It's my pleasure, Lisa. Please, call me James. I've reviewed your pitch deck and I'm intrigued. Tell me, what sets Green Eats apart in a crowded market?

Lisa (Female)

Our core differentiator is our focus on locally sourced, organic ingredients, combined with personalized nutrition plans developed by registered dieticians. We're not just delivering food; we're providing a tailored wellness solution.

James (Male)

That's a strong angle. Your financial projections show a significant increase in subscriber base over the next three years. How do you plan to achieve that growth, and what's your customer acquisition cost looking like?

Lisa (Female)

We plan to scale through targeted digital marketing campaigns, strategic partnerships with local gyms and wellness centers, and a robust referral program. Our current customer acquisition cost is around $35, but with this funding, we aim to leverage economies of scale and bring it down to $25 within the first year.

James (Male)

That's an ambitious but achievable target. What's your proposed use of the requested $500,000?

Lisa (Female)

The funds will primarily be allocated to upgrading our kitchen facilities to handle increased volume, expanding our delivery fleet, and investing in advanced marketing automation tools to optimize our reach and engagement. A portion will also go into hiring key personnel, especially more dieticians and operations staff.

James (Male)

Understood. Your plan seems well thought out. I'd like to take a deeper dive into your projected cash flow and operational expenses. Can we schedule another meeting for next week?

Lisa (Female)

Absolutely, Mr. Johnson. I'd be delighted. I'll send over a few time slots by email. Thank you again for your time and consideration.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

founder

The person who starts a new business or organization. In business pitches, it's common to introduce yourself as the founder to establish credibility.

pitch deck

A short presentation, often in slides, used to pitch a business idea to investors. It's like a visual summary of your business plan.

differentiator

Something that makes your product or service different from competitors. Use this in marketing to explain your unique selling point.

organic ingredients

Food items grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, often seen as healthier. Common in discussions about sustainable or health-focused businesses.

financial projections

Estimates of future money income and expenses. Investors ask for these to see if a business will make profit.

customer acquisition cost

The amount of money spent to get a new customer. It's a key metric in business to measure marketing efficiency.

economies of scale

Cost advantages from producing more goods or services, making each unit cheaper. Businesses use this to explain growth plans.

allocated

To distribute or assign money or resources to specific uses. In funding requests, explain how funds will be allocated.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today.

This is a polite way to start a business meeting, showing appreciation. Use it to build rapport. Grammar: Present continuous 'taking the time' emphasizes the effort involved.

What sets Green Eats apart in a crowded market?

Asks about unique features in a competitive industry. Useful for investors questioning differentiation. 'Sets apart' means makes different; 'crowded market' refers to high competition.

We're not just delivering food; we're providing a tailored wellness solution.

Emphasizes added value beyond basic service. Great for pitches to highlight benefits. Uses semicolon for contrast; 'tailored' means customized.

How do you plan to achieve that growth?

Inquires about strategies for expansion. Common in investor discussions. 'Achieve that growth' uses 'that' to refer to previous mention; simple future 'do you plan to' for intentions.

We plan to scale through targeted digital marketing campaigns.

Describes growth method using specific tools. Useful in business plans. 'Scale' means expand; 'through' shows method; infinitive 'to scale' after 'plan'.

The funds will primarily be allocated to upgrading our kitchen facilities.

Explains fund usage clearly. Essential for funding pitches. Passive voice 'be allocated' focuses on action; 'primarily' means mainly.

I'd like to take a deeper dive into your projected cash flow.

Requests more details on finances. Professional idiom 'deeper dive' means thorough review. Use in follow-up meetings; 'I'd like to' is polite for suggestions.

Absolutely, Mr. Johnson. I'd be delighted.

Polite agreement and enthusiasm. Good for ending meetings positively. 'Absolutely' means yes completely; 'I'd be delighted' expresses pleasure formally.