The Big Schmooze

Cosplaying CEO

Now that the patents are filed and pending, and I can finally talk about this project in the open:

I began hitting the proverbial pavement by reaching out to some contacts I had made prior to the filing. Since this has been years in the making, built in silence, and kept mostly off the radar, the few people I did tell and show were definitely going to hear from me once it was completed. Upon reaching out to those individuals, I was invited to a venture capitalist fundraiser up north.

I got dressed (quite spiffy I might add), and I headed out to the hangar where this was going to be held. Not really sure what to expect, on the way I was introduced to Avenged Sevenfold. Great music to kill the anxiety pre-pitch. When I get there, I was ready to go. With all my bullet pointed notes, and all of my pre-prepared study, I was good. Right up until I saw the private jet, heli, and the WWII plane. Then it hit me. This was not regular wealth...lol.

It’s interesting because, as a professional musician of over 20 years I know all about this. The pre-show jitters. Not knowing what a crowd will be like or how your work would be received. But those chaotic creative lessons educated me for moments like this. Trained me. Suddenly, I’m remembering the performance in Toronto’s Dundas Square having their midday traffic staring at me like a crazy person as I rapped the lyrics to “Extian” to complete strangers.

And just like that the switch went off. No longer nervous. No more jitters. CEO mode activated. I know I have the best pitch in the field. I come in making eye contact with everyone I can. All 6’4” of me. I smile. I introduce myself to complete strangers. I noticed a couple of people who were just hanging out at a table, so of course I went over to warm up my social and professional pitch skills. The 2 people I ended up meeting LOVE IT. They were completely blown away. While this was awesome and a great boost to the ego, I knew that the ultimate prize was being able to pitch the platform of yours truly to the host himself. I just needed to close the distance. As I’m making my way around the hangar to the bar, I’m noticing the people I came with chatting it up with said host, and then just like that I was waved over. Now as I’m gathering my thoughts on my way over I have to say I was still pretty nervous. Even activated. Most likely because THIS was the first time I could actually pitch something tangible to a potential investor that they could see and experience for themselves. Even if it was just an MVP prototype.

We’re introduced and I sit down. He tells a fantastic story about nearly dying in a flying exercise which everyone got a kick out of. Enjoying my drink (an Orange Blossom btw) I didn’t force the issue, I was simply waiting for the opportunity to present what we had to offer. Finally he asks me what I do and I lay it on him. I told him that I could show him better than I could tell him. I pull out the ipad and go through my pitch. There were other people around so it kind of felt like a wider presentation.

They loved it. It wasn’t perfect, but the features that make us unique went over extremely well and everyone’s mind was pretty much blown in realizing the innovation of it. While it’s one thing to tell people, it’s another to show them in real time proprietary tech that could disrupt an industry.

Patent Pending of course.

At this point, I feel like I’m playing with house money. I’m answering questions I already have the answers to, and now others are now becoming interested in what I’m presenting. I decided to explore the hangar a little bit, making my way down to the private jet.

I’m not going to mince words here, at this very moment, I felt like I was seeing into the future. Seeing the eventuality of a process that involved me and every decision I had made up to this point. As if this was one of a multitude of paths I had taken to get here and ultimately where I’d like to take us. I looked in the private jet and forced myself to see me sitting there in ownership. Forced myself to imagine the succeeded version of the idea.

Pipe dream? Not quite.

I head back up stairs and begin to finalize the connections by grabbing cards, socials, and pictures. Made some good connections that night. I was asked to head out to the bar for cigars afterwards by the people I came with. I was still in pitch mode so I didn’t even take off my name tag and this lady asked me what event we had just come from. I explained to her and that ended up with me showing her and her husband the platform as well.

Faces melted.

At this point, I’m finally running on fumes and I’m ready to call it a night. I head home, finally take my suit off and check my messages when I get a notification.

It’s my head of development.

“I need to see your face.”

Usually when someone says they need to see my face, it’s because they want to see my reaction to something. Because my natural first reaction would only happen once, I too often ask this of my business partners and colleagues. I’m just as guilty of wanting that dopamine shot of seeing their live reaction to something cool I had a hand in creating.

It was then that I was shown that the final piece for our 1.0 version was operational and nearly complete.

Holy shit.

It works.

We could go live right now if we wanted to.

But, not quite yet. There is still much to do. I have many marketing and branding things I have to make sure are in place before we move forward with that. We still plan on having the Kickstarter, but crowdfunding is far more effective when you have something already built to offer.

How the hell could I sleep after a night like that?

Final Thoughts
I don’t know if I’m a “real” CEO or if I just cosplay one on the internet and in my mind. But as a result of this event which went off amazingly, I got invited to another event that I’ll be attending.

Damn. Who’s tf’s life am I living? I’m sure they’ll want it back at some point.

Really all I want to do is win a title for my team. We’ve worked so hard to build this and I can’t wait for everyone involved to see the fruits of their labor.

They’re going to have to give us a title shot this year.

Greydon Square
Majestic Comics | Manifest Software