Lessons From The Pitch: Knowing Your Port of Call

Seneca supposedly once said, ​“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” I think about this often when talking with operators and entrepreneurs. Building a company can feel like sailing into unpredictable waters — markets shift, customers evolve, and competitors appear out of nowhere. But when a founder knows their destination, their choices become clearer, and their story carries further.

That’s why I love hosting The Pitch episodes on the S2G Podcast. In these conversations, we sit down with portfolio company leaders and focus on how they present their value proposition to customers. You hear firsthand how operators scale by solving a pressing pain point, building trust, designing a narrative that resonates, and focusing. For me, listening closely to how they tell their story has been a masterclass in strategy, communication, and resilience.

Across these conversations, I’ve been reminded that the best pitches don’t sound like pitches at all. They sound like leaders sharing why their company matters — backed by proof, clarity, and conviction. Whether you’re building a B2B technology platform or a consumer brand, the common thread is simple: connect your impact to customer value, and people will listen. Make the product or service better than the conventional option, don’t go for a green premium.

Here are five lessons I’ve taken from recent conversations with our portfolio company leaders on the podcast:

Translate Complexity Into Simplicity

Flashfood: Jordan Schenck, CEO

Food waste is a staggering global issue, but Jordan has shown how Flashfood reframes that daunting challenge into a practical win-win for shoppers and retailers. By positioning the marketplace as a driver of foot traffic, loyalty, and savings, she shifted the conversation from an overwhelming systemic problem to a compelling retail solution. 

The lesson: Simplify the message so customers clearly see the upside for them.

Tap Into Customer Education 

Sunday Lawn Care: Coulter Lewis, Founder and CEO

Most people don’t really understand lawn care. The science of soil, nutrients, environmental impact and even just plain watering can feel overwhelming. Coulter explained how Sunday’s goal is to make lawn care less daunting by giving people the right data in plain language so customers feel like they can succeed, not just buy another product.

The lesson: In consumer categories with entrenched habits, building the solution into the product design can sometimes be the most powerful form of marketing.

Earning Trust in Cautious Markets

Urbint: Corey Capasso, Founder and CEO

Working with utilities is notoriously complicated. The stakes are high, the timelines are long, and the tolerance for risk is low. In my conversation with Corey, what stood out was the way the company built credibility in such a cautious sector. By delivering measurable improvements in areas like storm response and worker safety, we believe Urbint positioned itself as a firm that knows the industry by putting the most important aspect of a utility first, worker safety, showing they are a partner utilities could depend on when it mattered most.

The lesson: In markets where trust is hard to earn, consistency and proof of impact speak volumes.

Let Your Story Do the Heavy Lifting

Back to the Roots: Nikhil Arora and Alejandro Velez, Co-Founders

Nikhil and Alejandro have built a household brand by leaning into their own journey — from growing mushrooms in a dorm room to building a company that makes gardening enjoyable and accessible for everyone. Their pitch doesn’t feel manufactured; it feels lived. The resonance comes less from clever positioning and from the authenticity of their path.

The lesson: Authenticity isn’t just good branding; it’s a growth strategy.

Balance Vision With Execution

GreenLight Biosciences: Andrey Zarur, CEO

RNA technology is complex, but what struck me in my conversation with Andrey was how GreenLight explains its value proposition. Whether speaking to partners in agriculture or human health, the message is clear: RNA solutions have the ability to solve critical problems faster, more precisely, and more sustainably than traditional approaches. By tailoring the explanation to what each customer values most (such as cost efficiency, safety, or sustainability) GreenLight makes cutting-edge science feel directly relevant.

The lesson: The ability to frame advanced technology in customer-centered terms is often the difference between intrigue and adoption.

What unique impact does your product or service offer, and how does it surpass conventional solutions? Identify your distinct advantage and steer your course towards it.