Jakob Kahlen's presentation emphasizes the importance of storytelling in pitching ideas, suggesting that evoking strong emotions can make a presentation memorable and impactful. He encourages presenters to identify their product's hero and villain, and to clearly articulate their 'why' to connect emotionally with the audience. The talk highlights the power of narrative in persuasion, advocating for a structure that involves a beginning, middle, and end, culminating in a call to action.

1. JAKOB KAHLEN
DESIGNER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Pitching
an adventure
INDEX — DESIGN TO IMPROVE LIFE
AUGUST 24 2015

2. JAKOB KAHLENGlobal Creative Director
B&O PLAY
Brand, Product Design & Marketing
Hello my name is

3. · A trained designer
· A failed entrepreneur
· An award winning creative
· An enthusiastic teacher
· An passionate optimist
· A geek at heart

4. AGENDA
LET’S GO!

5. · Goose bump business
· Pitching your adventure
· Start With Why
AGENDA

6. · Goose bump business
· Pitching your adventure (+ exercise)
· Start With Why (+ exercise)
AGENDA

7. GOOSE BUMP
BUSINESS
WHAT THE HECK IS

9. You’re no. 51 this week
Your potential investor has probably already seen 50 pitches this week.
A conventional presentation will probably not get them particularly interested.
!
You’ll need to leave an expression
You need to pass on the feeling you got when you figured out the idea that you’re
presenting. The Eureka moment, the electric shock, the butterflies in your stomach,
the goose bumps.
PASSING ON THE GOOSE BUMPS

10. What causes
goose bumps?
BACKGROUND

11. Goose bumps are the bumps on a person's skin at the base of
body hairs which may involuntarily develop when a person
experiences strong emotions such as fear, nostalgia, pleasure,
euphoria, awe, admiration, and sexual arousal.
FREELY AFTER WIKIPEDIA

12. If your presentations can cause sexual
arousal, you’re on to something!
PRO TIP

13. Even if it just causes nostalgia, pleasure,
euphoria, awe, admiration, you’ll be fine…
PRO TIP

14. !
Rational vs Emotional
Analytical brain vs Story brain
THERE’S A FIGHT GOING ON INSIDE OUR BRAIN?

15. !
Rational vs Emotional
Analytical brain vs Story brain
!
Our brains are wired to be open to and remember stories better than
facts. If you start by making a connection to the story brain, you’ll have an
emotional, intuitive and open connection to rational arguments later on.
THERE’S A FIGHT GOING ON INSIDE OUR BRAIN?

16. !
Rational vs Emotional
Analytical brain vs Story brain
!
Our brains are wired to be open to and remember stories better than
facts. If you start by making a connection to the story brain, you’ll have an
emotional, intuitive and open connection to rational arguments later on.
!
If you activate the analytical brain right away in your presentation, it
will start looking for errors in the facts and stop you from being open to
new ideas and creative solutions.
THERE’S A FIGHT GOING ON INSIDE OUR BRAIN?

17. The biology of
goose bumps
BACKGROUND

18. Goose bumps are created when tiny muscles at the base of each
hair contract and pull the hair erect. The reflex is started by the
sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for many
fight-or-flight responses.
FREELY AFTER WIKIPEDIA

19. You do not want your investor to flight
from you, but you would definitely want
them to fight for you!
PRO TIP

20. Why should I fight
for you?
MILLION DOLLOR QUESTION

21. PITCHING YOUR
ADVENTURE
Using the structure and characters found
in most epic tales and stories
ONCE UPON A TIME

24. THE HERO’S JOURNEY
THE MONOMYTH EXPLAINED

25. Why you should be like Frodo…
· Usually not somebody you would expect to be a hero (Identification)
· Never flawless, but usually with great integrity and dedication (naivety)
· Able to form a rally cry (a cause) and gather a team of followers
· Never fights for personal gain, but to help the cause
· Creative in ways of overcoming obstacles
ATTRIBUTES OF THE HERO

27. Beginning, Middle, End
Background, Conflict, Resolution
SIMPLIFIED ANATOMY OF A STORY

29. EXERCISE (10 MIN.)
!
Write down in 2 short sentences:
– Who is the villain of your product or service?
– Who is the hero of your product or service?

30. EXERCISE
!
Let’s hear a couple of them…
!
!

31. · You’re already a hero so just be your passionate self
· Be uncomfortably honest
· Tell stories about your trials and tribulations
· Give people a reason to love you and believe in your cause
· Leave them empowered to join you in your endeavours
WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM FAIRYTALES

32. START
WITH WHY
DEFINING YOUR CAUSE OR PURPOSE

35. “People don’t buy what
you do, they buy why
you do it”
SIMON SINEK

36. – Your why should be the beginning of all your presentations
– Your why should be the one thing that shines through all job ads
– Your why should be the rally cry that drives your company culture
– Your why should be the thing that attracts the right investor
WHY THE WHY?

37. EXERCISE (10 MIN.)
!
Write down in 3 short sentences:
!
– What do you do?
– How do you do it?
– Why do you do what you do?

38. EXERCISE
!
Wanna share?
!
!

41. RECAP
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

42. – Painting a picture (Start with the end in mind: Why?)
– Pointing out problem (Villain / Dystopia)
– Revealing the solution (Hero / Wow moment)
– Calling to action (Happy end / Join the cause)
COMBINING THE WHY WITH THE HERO’S JOURNEY

43. GO FIGHT YOUR CAUSES
& TELL YOUR STORIES!
TADA!

44. LinkedIn Jakob Kahlen
Pinterest Jakob Kahlen
IG jakobkahlen
Twitter jakobkahlen
Mail jakob@kahlen.dk
LET’S CONNECT!