About Steve
After graduating Harvard College in 1972, Steve did graduate studies in business at the University of North Carolina, then had a career in commercial real estate finance and deal making. He founded an NASD broker-dealer in Asheville, NC to sell real estate securities. Then he joined Prudential Real Estate to help set up their national training system for commercial brokers. He taught presentation skills, writing, and gave guest lectures in the Entrepreneurship Program at The Wharton School, and more recently created and taught a course for Temple’s Fox School of Business on Investor Presentations.
Steve making a point
As Steve became recognized as an expert in financial and technical presentation, people started calling him “The Pitch Doctor.” What sets him apart from most presentation coaches is that he concentrates on getting the content right before fixing slides or coaching delivery. Because ‘story’ is the secret to getting content right, the heart of the BizClarity Method is techniques for finding the core story of any company. Steve evolved these techniques through helping hundreds of startups find and focus the essence of their business and technology message. The real trick is then to tell these stories concisely, using language and images, so that investors “get it” and want to know more.
Steve has written two books with his wife Carol Bowman, published in the US by Bantam Books and HarperCollins and in more than two dozen foreign editions. After 20 years, both are still in print and recognized as classics in their field.
He composes and performs electronic music, in the duo Delicate Monster, and solo with electrified clarinet and synthesizers as ThinAirX.
Steve's garden symphony
He lives with his wife in a 250-year-old farm house near Media, PA. He is a serious gardener and over the last 30 years has composed his one-acre yard into a symphony of flowers and trees, featuring an extensive collection of peonies, lilies, azaleas, hellebores, hostas, summer flowers, and thousands of spring bulbs.
BizClarity Method
The BizClarity Method aims to change how investor presentations are taught and coached. It’s a new approach, long overdue. It's needed than ever because raising venture capital, winning the attention of investors, is harder than ever, even for fully qualified companies that deserve to be funded.
Most of the standard advice you'll find on the Internet about how to do an investor presentation is old, simplistic, a rehash of old formulas handed down without anybody questioning if they really work. Even advice from well-meaning advisors is incomplete, echoing the old formulas, and not up to the task.
The BizClarity Method has a clear, long-term goal: to raise the bar on presentation standards and methods everywhere entrepreneurs are pitching to investors. To reach a point where there's no excuse for sucky, trainwreck presentations. And ultimately to ensure that all deserving companies can stand out from the competition and get the funding they need.
Created by Steve Bowman
Steve coaching BizClarity
The BizClarity Method is the work of veteran coach Steve Bowman, the "Pitch Doctor". It reflects everything he's gained from twenty years of coaching entrepreneurs to pitch to investors. It's grounded in real-world experience. Every tip, every guiding principle has been proven in action.
The BizClarity Method is unlike anything you’ll find on the Internet or even in books. It's more advanced, more complete. Yes, there are lists of do's and don't's for first-timers and entrepreneurs-in-a-hurry trying to avoid a trainwreck. But Steve's Method goes further. It's intelligent guidance for entrepreneurs who need to give an outstanding presentation because their company depends on it.
Contact Steve
How to reach me
The best way to reach me is to email steve@bizclarity.com and tell me a bit about you and your company.
If you're coming to my office, please read these directions.
Free help
If you're looking for free help, I offer Open Coaching and workshops in Philadelphia, often every week during the spring and fall.
Private coaching
I meet most of my private clients here in my home office. When you have an appointment to come to my office in Media, read these directions.
Venture fair coaching
If you're part of an organization that supports entrepreneurs, I create coaching and training programs for cohorts and members.
I occasionally travel to other cities to give training, coaching or work with venture groups. Don't hesitate to ask.
Please email me at steve@bizclarity.com
Testimonials
Steve Bowman, the Pitch Doctor, has coached entrepreneurs for 20 years. His writings on How to Talk to Money capture the best of his techniques and methods. Here's what clients have to say:
The sessions with Steve were intense and stimulating. He made us think hard, not only about the presentation but also about what our business really is. His coaching focused and sharpened our central message.
— Colman O’Murchu, CEO, Tangerine Technologies
I’ve given essentially the same presentation countless times before, but Steve’s expertise and insight resulted in a vastly improved presentation. He truly is the Pitch Doctor.
— Jeffrey Cohen, CEO, MindMe
It was so valuable for me to get an insider’s perspective on what investors need to hear. It’s unlikely I would have come up with such a fresh way to explain my company on my own.
— John H. Page, CEO, Hexsee
I was having trouble explaining my complex financial services business to investors. Steve helped me discover what my business is all about at the core, and then distill it into a concise value proposition. Now, when I describe what I do, they get it.
— Bill Walsh, CEO, Total Worth Financials
Steve, you are brilliant. The pitch was a big success. Although this VC prefers later-stage companies, he spent 2 hours with us (a long time), and raised excellent questions. It’s obvious to me that was the direct result of your design because he understood our value.
— Kaydon Stanzione, CEO, Advanced Logic Systems, In
Steve, the Pitch Doctor, showed us how to speak the VC’s language. Before, we tended to talk too much about the technology. He guided us to talk about the business issues—why we’re going to win.
I’m really happy with the way Steve helped us focus our presentation on our key differentiating factors. Now, whether we’re giving a formal presentation or answering investor questions at a trade-show, we’re confident we’re saying the things that will lead to a decision to invest in us.
He made it more concise too. I started out with a meandering, 20-minute presentation. Now I say more, but in half the time.
— Tom Coffey, CEO, CallFX
Before working with Steve we struggled to condense our message into an easily digestible form. But in just a few hours, after listening thoughtfully to our ideas and whiteboard ramblings, Steve was able to cut through the clutter and sharpen it into a concise presentation, and with one third the slides.
An investor complimented me, saying, ‘we don’t usually see slides this clear and easy to understand.’ Hiring Steve was a smart move, money well spent. He really helped us move the ball forward.
— Drew Peloso, CEO, Onclave Software
Steve’s input on my VC presentation was invaluable. I’ve made many VC presentations before—both for this company and my last company—and I thought I had a great presentation. After spending some time with Steve, I realized I still had a long way to go. He focused the message of my presentation, clarified the important points, and logically organized it. Steve revolutionized my presentation.
— Gil Beyda, CEO, Net2itive
When I first presented to Steve Bowman, I was more of an inventor than an entrepreneur. Now I’m a confident entrepreneur.
It’s not what I expected. I thought the Pitch Doctor would work primarily on whipping my communications into shape. While he is helping with that, Steve has catalyzed my realization of what we have here. He helped me see my basic strategic storyline. He’s helping me to solidify my thinking about the nuts and bolts of our operations. He also contributed some tremendous new ideas to our effort.
Mostly, he helped me to believe in myself (I actually am being totally serious here…).
— Todd Butterfield, CEO, Butterfield Health Solutions (Philadelphia, PA)
Steve taught us a way of presenting that has carried over into almost every other presentation we’ve done since, even on different topics. He showed us how to sharpen and refine our PowerPoint slides, and how to coordinate them with the verbal presentation.
What came out of the experiences was a very tight presentation that makes investors who hear it want to dig deeper and know more about our company.
— John Possumato, CEO, DriveItAway.com
BizClarity is dedicated exclusively to helping entrepreneurs master the investor presentation.
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