When I managed the branch of a staffing firm, I went to a lot of startup networking events. Here’s some doozies that I’ve heard:
A fashion app where you had to scan and catalog every item in your closet, and it would make suggestions on what else you should add to the outfit. Yes, like the movie ‘Clueless’, but being pitched by a super serious 50yo man.
An on-hold waiting service that would let you schedule a phone call with a service, and basically wait on hold for you until a human answered, and then call you back. Not a bad idea, but he just couldn’t get that last bit about guaranteeing an exact call back time (i.e. a human might answer earlier or later than your request), and most companies started offering call back options.
A 23yo recent graduate who swore that his scheduling/calendar app was the most innovative thing ever. “The Uber of efficiency apps,” he called it. He kept talking down about the two equally young people who were his developers, and I don’t think he opened his eyes during his entire pitch. He had that super rich “I’m too bored for this” sort of inflection in his voice. Oh, and this was during a “Women in startups” pitch event - they let him present because he was the only male in his entire company.
The only one I saw that was good was an aerospace machinist with a home workshop. During the height of the fidget spinner craze, he hand-tooled some beautiful titanium spinners, and sold them for $250 each, with a lifetime guarantee. Made enough to buy a new BMW M3!
When I managed the branch of a staffing firm, I went to a lot of startup networking events. Here’s some doozies that I’ve heard:
A fashion app where you had to scan and catalog every item in your closet, and it would make suggestions on what else you should add to the outfit. Yes, like the movie ‘Clueless’, but being pitched by a super serious 50yo man.
An on-hold waiting service that would let you schedule a phone call with a service, and basically wait on hold for you until a human answered, and then call you back. Not a bad idea, but he just couldn’t get that last bit about guaranteeing an exact call back time (i.e. a human might answer earlier or later than your request), and most companies started offering call back options.
A 23yo recent graduate who swore that his scheduling/calendar app was the most innovative thing ever. “The Uber of efficiency apps,” he called it. He kept talking down about the two equally young people who were his developers, and I don’t think he opened his eyes during his entire pitch. He had that super rich “I’m too bored for this” sort of inflection in his voice. Oh, and this was during a “Women in startups” pitch event - they let him present because he was the only male in his entire company.
The only one I saw that was good was an aerospace machinist with a home workshop. During the height of the fidget spinner craze, he hand-tooled some beautiful titanium spinners, and sold them for $250 each, with a lifetime guarantee. Made enough to buy a new BMW M3!