Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha

YAPClassic: Guy Kawasaki, How to Craft a Pitch That Lands Deals

Oct 4, 2024

Guy Kawasaki, Chief Evangelist at Canva and former Software Evangelist at Apple, shares his engrossing journey from jewelry sales to tech evangelism. He emphasizes the necessity of selling skills for entrepreneurs and how a great product accounts for 80% of sales. The importance of brand evangelism and striking the right networking connections are discussed, along with tips on crafting a winning pitch. Guy also reflects on the value of hiring talented individuals and the surprising role of luck in career decisions.

01:02:04

Episode guests

Guy Kawasaki

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Sales skills are crucial for entrepreneurs, influencing their ability to effectively create and sell their products for success.

Aligning with high-quality products enhances sales efforts, as genuine representations lead to more successful evangelism and market acceptance.

Effective communication, grounded in likeability, competence, and trustworthiness, is essential for building strong professional relationships and achieving collaborative success.

Deep dives

The Essence of Sales Skills

Sales capabilities are crucial for entrepreneurs, as they hinge on the ability to both create and sell a product. This foundation is underscored by the contrasting roles played by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs at Apple; Wozniak was the technical genius who created the motherboard while Jobs was the marketing mastermind. The lesson drawn is that entrepreneurs must understand the importance of both making a high-quality product and effectively selling it to ensure business success. Therefore, possessing the ability to sell is paramount for any entrepreneur, aligning their skills to the appropriate functions within their ventures.

Intro

2min

From Jewelry to Tech: A Journey of Sales and Leadership

12min

Lessons from Tough Leaders

9min

Luck, Quitting, and Career Decisions

18min

From Hesitation to Success

11min

The Power of Pitching and Connection

12min

Exploring Remarkable Insights and Side Hustle Inspirations

3min

Guy Kawasaki learned how to sell through "hand-to-hand combat" in sales while working for a jewelry manufacturer. His valuable sales skills then translated seamlessly into a career as an evangelist for Apple and later, Canva. In this episode, Hala and Guy talk about the importance of knowing how to sell, what it means to evangelize a product, and how to nail a pitch.

Guy Kawasaki is the Chief Evangelist at Canva and a former Software Evangelist at Apple. He is an entrepreneur, thought leader, author, and host of the Remarkable People podcast.

In this episode, Hala and Guy will discuss:

- Why selling skills are essential for entrepreneurs

- Why a good product is 80% of sales

- What brand evangelism means

- Getting your foot in the door

- Why you should stay in college longer

- Hiring people better than you

- Showing up to make your own luck

- Quitting on a good day

- Guy’s advice for nailing a pitch

- The pillars of enchantment

- And other topics…

Guy Kawasaki is the Chief Evangelist of Canva. He popularized secular evangelism in the late ‘80s and ‘90s through his work at Apple. Since then, he has worked with clients, such as Nike, Gartner, Audi, Google, Microsoft, and Breitling. He is the bestselling author of Wise Guy, The Art of the Start, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and several other books. He is an executive fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley), and an adjunct professor at the University of New South Wales and the University of California.

Connect with Guy:

Guy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guykawasaki/

Guy’s Website: https://guykawasaki.com/

Guy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/GuyKawasaki

Guy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guykawasaki/

Guy’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/guy

Sponsored By:

Fundrise - Add the Fundrise Flagship Fund to your portfolio in minutes at https://fundrise.com/PROFITING

Found - Try Found for FREE at https://found.com/profiting

Mint Mobile - To get a new 3-month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to https://mintmobile.com/profiting

Working Genius - Get 20% off the $25 Working Genius assessment at https://www.workinggenius.com/ with code PROFITING at checkout

Shopify - Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://youngandprofiting.co/shopify