Elevator Pitch Examples with Chris Westfall

Norbert Leo Butts, a Tony Award winner for Best Performance in a Musical on Broadway in Catch Me If You Can, demonstrated an unexpected approach when accepting his award.

Instead of displaying confidence, Butts said 'I don't know if I'm the most talented of this group of actors but I'm definitely the most grateful,' which created a surprising reversal that invited engagement.

This is called a 'Twist or Reversal' to an opening statement—it subverts expectations and invites the listener to want more information.

• Don't open with clichés • Don't use weird metaphors like 'I'm the Joe Montana of marketing' • Avoid gimmickry while still being unexpected and offering a new perspective

Tell your story in a way that says 'You may be thinking about me in a certain way, but the truth is different'—offering a new perspective on how people perceive you.

Warren Buffett's New York Times op-ed piece about his effective tax rate being only 17%, lower than anyone in his office, demonstrates how facts can be used to establish credibility and reframe assumptions.

• Reference a specific, well-known fact or statistic • Explain what you do in relation to that fact • State your specific results and credentials • Offer a conditional opening for further conversation

Invite continued connection through business cards, LinkedIn, coffee meetings, and portfolio discussions rather than aggressive selling.

Reference Warren Buffett's tax rate revelation as a relatable, credible anchor point that establishes the importance of tax strategy.

Help high net worth clients ensure their tax rate never exceeds 20%, with documented experience managing 14 clients in Denton County and 26 in Tarrant County.

Transparently state 'I'm not saying I could produce the same results for you, but if your net worth is over a million, I might be able to help.'

• Offer a business card and phone number • Suggest LinkedIn connection • Propose an informal coffee meeting • Frame the next step as information exchange and portfolio discussion, not a sales pitch