How I pissed away a chance to win 100k for the business

So, I had the chance to pitch for $100K at Invest Fest, specifically for the Nipsey Hussle Business Grant. Spoiler alert: it was a bit of a train wreck. Imagine standing in line from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM, just to finally get in front of the judges and promptly forget every single line. Yeah, that was me. Classic.

Now, I’m not here to make excuses. I fully own the fact that public speaking isn’t exactly my strong suit. Should I have been practicing my pitch non-stop from the moment I signed up? Absolutely. Did I? Of course not. Instead, I let myself get sucked into the daily grind of running the business, using it as a convenient distraction. I even had a friendly judge on my side (shoutout to Donni Wiggins), but alas, I still managed to drop the ball.

Despite the epic fail, I’m genuinely glad I went through the process and would probably do it all over again—because why not? So, here are some parting thoughts and takeaways, in no particular order.

1. Toastmasters Fatigue: After years of Toastmasters, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just too inconsistent to make any real progress. Honestly, I’m over it. Instead of trying to force myself to get better at something I clearly struggle with, I think it’s time to find someone who actually enjoys this kind of thing. A "face of the company," if you will. Preferably someone who doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty, is good on camera, loves social media, and can edit videos. That shouldn’t be too hard to find, right? Right?

2. Channeling My Inner Extrovert: While standing in line, I decided to tap into my inner extrovert and struck up a few conversations. Met some cool folks, including some Hot Seat alumni (check out my episode here). My biggest takeaway from that time in line? I need to start applying for more grants. I’ve always seen these applications as a long shot, but maybe it’s time to rethink that. There’s money out there, folks!

3. The Pitch That Wasn’t: Here’s the pitch I had planned, complete with visuals I never got to show:

"Think about the last time you rented a car. You probably went with Hertz or Enterprise. What about the last time you moved and needed a truck? U-Haul, right? These companies have nailed the renting process and are household names because of it.

Now, consider the event rental industry—a $4 billion market. Can you name a single dominant player? Probably not. It's fragmented, inconsistent, and finding reliable, high-quality rentals is a nightmare.

Peachy Party is here to change that. Right now, we're focused on expanding our inventory and delivering top-notch service. But long term, we're aiming to become the go-to name in event rentals, creating a seamless, innovative experience through efficiency and new technology!"

So, there you have it. My 100K pitch attempt in all its glory. Lessons learned, ego bruised, but still standing. Onward and upward!