Five 18-year-old freshmen. Seven minutes to present. Three minutes of questions. What helped our team win first place and $25,000 at the Nisbet Venture Fund Pitch Competition had less to do with the slides and more to do with mastering the message.
Stepping onto a stage with no notes, no teleprompter, and only five minutes to tell a deeply personal story was both terrifying and exhilarating. While I didn't place in the competition, I walked away with something equally valuable: a deeper appreciation for the craft of storytelling, the courage to try something new, and a renewed commitment to leveling up for the next stage.
