One of the very first lessons I learned in MBA was “elevator pitch”. What’s elevator pitch? Basically, it is a short summary to concisely describe one object to your audience. The object can be a business solution, a personal introduction, a picture…etc. The speech is usually within one or two minutes.

In business schools, MBA students are trained to deliver elevator pitch. We have to be able to say who we are, what we do, and why our products work efficiently and effectively. (Products can be a person, a business idea, or anything.)

Though elevator pitch is called “elevator” pitch, I had never seen anyone doing it in the real elevator until Wake Forest Retail Innovation Challenge.

Wake Forest Innovation Challenge was one of the most exciting and unforgettable memories I have ever experienced in the MBA school: Pitching new business plan idea in the real elevators to venture capitalists and industry experts. The experience was simply overwhelming and breathe-taking. I wrote a blog post detailing the experience, check it out in: Wake Forest Retail Innovation Challenge.

Unlike the old post with lots of words, this time, I want to show you what it feels like in the real elevators! Check out the following videos presented by the Retail Innovation Center at Wake Forest University. I was getting bumped while watching the videos.

(Introduction of the competition)

(Team Aurélie presented their business plan in the left elevator without judges interruptions)

(Team Aurélie presented their business plan in the right elevator with judges interruptions)

If you are interested to watch more videos about the competition, you can go to the official webpage: http://ric2012.elevatorcompetitionlive.com

(Judith and I presented our business plans to more than 12 venture capitalists and industry experts in the final run.)

(Team Aurélie members. From left to right, Xiang Bian, Pavarit Boonyasirichok, Judith Liao, and Grant Lee)

Introduction of the team members in Team Aurélie.

*All the videos shown in this blog belong to Retail Innovation Center at Wake Forest University.