Get All Access for $5/mo

Netflix Co-Founder Marc Randolph Reveals the Magic Formula for Grabbing an Investor's Attention On this episode of "Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch," tech entrepreneurs must explain complex solutions in 60 seconds or less.

By Dan Bova Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Entrepreneurs seeking funding will hear "no" a lot, but persistence pays off. It just takes one yes to get the support you need to launch and grow.
  • Although you need to give potential investors a complete overview of your company, be concise and clear about the one thing that sets you apart.

If there is one thing founders can count on while fundraising, it's this: You're going to hear the word "no" a lot from investors.

But contestants on this episode of Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch are undeterred by that harsh reality and show up with their game faces on, determined to turn those nos into yesses and walk out of the boardroom with life-changing investments.

Related: 'Do You Like the Taste of Making Money?' Investors Weigh In on Crazy New Food Biz Pitches.

Elevator Pitch viewers know the pressure doesn't end if the pitch goes well. If you make it into the boardroom, you're hit with a barrage of questions from investors who are ready to move on if they don't immediately like what they hear. The key to success? Make this formula offered by Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph your mantra: "Everything you say after your initial pitch should make your business clearer, more compelling and more powerful." Sure, it seems like simple advice, but as many contestants find out, it's easier said than done.

Watch now to find out who lives up to the task, who walks away with big dollars and who gets sent down empty-handed. The stakes and the drama are always high on Elevator Pitch!

Season 11, Episode 4 Board of Investors

  • Marc Randolph, co-founder and first CEO of Netflix, master of scaling
  • Kim Perell, CEO of 100.co, serial entrepreneur and investor
  • Dhani Jones, Former NFL player and serial entrepreneur

Season 11, Episode 4 Entrepreneurs

  • Aspen Buckingham and Steven Jiang, co-founders of Overture.Games, an online video game where players become musicians.
  • Sajil Koroth, founder of KapitalWise, a unified client acquisition and retention platform for financial institutions.
  • Shawntia Lee, founder of College Thriver, a cloud-based platform that offers a personalized college guidance system for minorities.

How to Watch

Season 11 of Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch is presented by Amazon Business. New episodes stream on Wednesdays on Entrepreneur.com and EntrepreneurTV. Follow Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch on Facebook, YouTube and IGTV.

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

More from Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch

A Near-Tragedy Spurred This Dad's Invention — Now Worth Millions

A Scary Shopping Experience Inspired This Entrepreneur to Launch Her Own Brand. Now It's Done Over $5 Million In Sales.

Epic Elevator Pitch Disaster Takes a Shocking Twist You Have to See!

You've Got Dueling $100K Offers From Investors. How Do You Know Who to Choose?

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

He Started a Business That Surpassed $100 Million in Under 3 Years: 'Consistent Revenue Right Out of the Gate'

Ryan Close, founder and CEO of Bartesian, had run a few small businesses on the side — but none of them excited him as much as the idea for a home cocktail machine.

Business News

Looking for a Remote Job? Here Are the Most In-Demand Skills to Have on Your Resume, According to Employers.

Employers are looking for interpersonal skills like teamwork as well as specific coding skills.

Business News

'Jaw-Dropping Performance in 2024,' Says a Senior Analyst as Nvidia Reports Earnings

Nvidia reported its highly-anticipated third-quarter earnings on Wednesday.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

'Do You Sell Cars?': Tesla CEO Elon Musk Trolls Jaguar Rebrand on X

The team running Jaguar's X account was working hard on social media this week.