Two Teams Meetings and a Presentation Walk into a Bar…

Ever catch yourself trying to sound smart to everyone at once?

One entrepreneur I worked with recently found themselves in that exact spot.

They were part of an accelerator program, putting their pitch deck together—and trying to do everything at once:

✔️Prove to the phantom experts in their head that they knew what they were talking about
✔️Convince potential investors their idea was solid
✔️And figure out the idea for themselves while doing it

It’s like being in two Teams meetings while trying to finish a presentation for a third.
I’ve never done that before. 😉

The Trap of Trying to Please Everyone

No wonder they were all over the place.
They were trying to please everyone—caught in the same habit so many of us bring from corporate life.

During our session, I pointed out that they were trying to prove their expertise to an audience that only cared up to a point. Investors didn’t need them to be the smartest person in the room—they needed to see the business opportunity.

That clicked.

They left the session with a clearer sense of how to simplify and amplify their story.
Suddenly, they had a path forward.

The Corporate Habit That Makes Clarity Harder

And honestly? I’ve been there too.
If you’ve spent years in corporate, you know what I’m talking about.

Corporate life trains us to anticipate every stakeholder’s question, every objective, every angle—to constantly prove we know our stuff. That skill earns influence and credibility and keeps projects moving, but it also makes clarity harder when you start something of your own.

Clarity Doesn’t Come From Knowing More

Clarity doesn’t come from knowing more.
It comes from deciding who you’re talking to—the person in front of you right now, not every possible critic—and your purpose for talking to them.

That’s what often bogs us down when we’re trying to get clear on a business idea or make the next big decision.

Slow Down to See What Matters

That kind of clarity takes space — and some weeks don’t make it easy.

It’s normal to think you’ve missed your window to get going—and you feel you’re running behind. 

You haven’t. Take a breath. Start where you are.

If you’re planning your transition into business creation or already building and feeling stuck on where to focus, send me an email at pierre at pierrebradette dot com and tell me what’s tripping you up. I’ll suggest one simple way to move forward.

To your success,

Pierre

Certified Professional Coach

Photo by Dynamic Wang on Unsplash