CoolRevolution becomes first winner of new biz show on Bloomberg

'I love you and I love your presentation. I loved everything about it.' 

See CoolRevolution's pitch here

When Mindy Ford and I created CoolRevolution, we had a ton of ideas. None of them included competing in a TV program. Sometimes opportunities fall in your lap, and you have to just say: "Let's go for it." When we learned best-selling author David Melter (he's also an entrepreneur, business coach and a whole lot more) had a call out for entrepreneurs to compete in a "pitch" contest, we decided to go for it. It also was enticing to know the winner would get $50,000 in cash and prizes. 

The deal was this: We'd have two minutes to talk about all the highlights of CoolRevolution. We would need to explain that we are helping women with night sweats sleep better. We also had to explain how we got started, our personal experience with night sweats from perimenopause and why CoolRevolution PJs are the softest, coolest PJs you'll ever wear. 

Two minutes is a long time if you're doing a plank. Two minutes is a flash if you're trying to explain night sweats to three men. 

Mindy and I hunkered down, and went through all the notes and emails we've received from customers. Notes from women who've told us they can now sleep through the night for the first time, because they don't wake up with cotton and polyester-soaked PJs. Women who send us photos of themselves wearing PJs to the grocery and to work. Women who have shared with us their personal journeys. 

We had to whittle those messages down to 120 seconds, which is only about 300 words.

This was probably the point of Meltzer wanting to do the show in the first place. Businesses often don't take the time to think through their pitch. Too often they talk about their business to others as if the audience already knows a whole lot. This was a great exercise to help us really hone in on what CoolRevolution is all about, and why we are so passionate about it. 

"With my experience as an executive producer of Entrepreneur Media's Elevator Pitch combined with the resources of our partners and sponsors, we are going to empower entrepreneurs to get their message across more effectively," Meltzer said. "I have been waiting for a TV show that really teaches the art of the pitch, rather than the facade of funding a deal."

One late afternoon in December, I logged in to the virtual taping of the show. My husband Mike set up extra lights to make sure I had proper illumination. The show was taped, but it was also going to be shown live, so I had to pretend as though I was on live TV. I am no performer, but I do know that I can tell when someone is engaged, and these three judges - Meltzer, Rory Cutaia, CEO of VERB Technologies, and Jayson Waller, CEO of Powerhouse Solar - were laughing as I talked about wanting to cool down hot women. They were nodding their heads, they were smiling. That made me smile, too.

“I love you and I love your presentation. I loved everything about it," Cutaia said after I finished my pitch, which was about 118 seconds. "You’ve got a great niche. Yes, this is a real problem, a lot of people don’t know about it. It’s the first time I’m hearing about it. You sold me. Good job.”

Waller had some questions, such as: Could we please make some PJs for hot dads!

“Laura, that was a pitch. That’s what it’s supposed to be like, so everybody take notice…You were passionate. You were funny. You were interactive. You’ve got your product behind you. Kudos to you," Waller said. "That was awesome."

I knew, win or lose, this was a great experience. It's just an even greater experience, because we won the prize, which includes personal coaching with Meltzer, virtual assistants thanks to the VA Group in California, Heart Water, a Muse meditation device (more on this later, cash and more. 

We couldn't have done it without all of you, who have purchased our PJs, who continue to inspire us with your stories, who have become our cheerleaders and staunch supporters. Those of you who tell all your friends about the benefits of bamboo pajamas and to all of you, who've helped us create this company that is dedicated to keeping hot women cool.

Thank you.

And, if you haven't seen it, here's a snippet from the show featuring our segment. Want to listed on a podcast, you'll find the whole segment here.