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7
Dorothy Fulop
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Why This Episode Matters
Dorothy Fulop went from being "the designer asking annoying questions" to founding Pitch Camp Agency, helping startups eliminate death-by-PowerPoint and create pitches investors actually remember. In this conversation, she reveals why a great pitch is under 60 seconds, how she helped a founder compress a company's essence into one minute, and why most investors have seen fewer than 10 incredible pitches in their careers. For founders preparing to pitch and anyone trying to communicate complex ideas simply, this is a masterclass in making people care before you ask for anything.
Key Takeaways
What do you hate so passionately that you'd do anything to change it?
That's where businesses start. It's the same as asking what you love—just depends on who you're talking to. Find your fire.
The best pitch is short—60 seconds or less
Dorothy's team pitched a company in 58 seconds. After that, the original 3-minute version felt boring and long. Anyone can ramble for 40 minutes. Compressing to one minute takes months of work.
Only 1 in 400 pitches get funded
Investors see 1,000+ pitches per year. Maybe 2.5 are good. They hate pitch decks. If you can do something slightly different that shows you care, you stand out immediately.
Make them care, then inform, then ask
Most companies skip straight to asking. Wrong order. First make them care. Then provide information. Then ask for something. If they don't care, they'll never pay attention.
You can't read the label from inside the jar
Founders know their company too well. They can't see it with fresh eyes. Talk to five people before pursuing any idea. Get outside perspective—not from co-founders, but from people who don't know your world.
Conversation Outline
00:00 — "Don't try to prove you're skilled—try to engage people"
01:00 — From designer asking annoying questions to brand strategist
04:00 — Pitch Camp Agency: eliminating bad pitches
06:00 — What do you hate so passionately you'd change it?
08:00 — PowerPoint is 37 years old—we use it the same way
11:00 — Only 1 in 400 pitches get funded
14:00 — A great pitch is SHORT—under 60 seconds
17:00 — Three steps: make them care, inform, then ask
20:00 — Pitching is relationship building, not a transaction
22:00 — You can't read the label from inside the jar
25:00 — Investors hate pitch decks—do something different
28:00 — Board game company with her husband: doing brand strategy for love
32:00 — Connect on LinkedIn: Dorothy Fulop
Dorothy Fulop
→ Founder of Pitch Camp Agency — eliminating bad startup pitches
→ Brand Strategist specializing in startup positioning
→ Co-founder of board game online store (with husband)
→ Helps founders create pitches investors actually remember
→ Works with innovators to compress complex ideas into seconds
Show Notes & Links
Mentioned In This Episode
→ Pitch Camp Agency — Dorothy's startup pitch consultancy
→ Sequoia Capital — referenced as old-school pitch deck template source
→ Shark Tank — referenced as an unrealistic funding portrayal
→ PowerPoint — 37 years old, still used the same way
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