Khyati Sundaram is the founder of Applied, an HR tech startup using AI to try to make hiring fairer.
In this week’s Founder in Five Q&A, Sundaram discusses nightmare pitches, the importance of storytelling in business and why first-time entrepreneurs need good co-founders.
What’s your worst pitching experience?
My worst pitching experience happened roughly around the fifth time I ever pitched a startup idea to VCs. This was before my Applied days. I got tongue-tied and lost my thread. I was met with blank stares and was awkwardly shown from the room for “wasting the partners’ time”.
Looking back, I recognise that it wasn’t the startup idea that failed; it was my ability to communicate it. This experience taught me the importance of storytelling and how crucial it is to make your message clear and engaging. I’ve pitched more than one hundred times since then and never forgotten this lesson….
