1,000 Startup Pitches Later: What Investors Really Want (Phil Mcsweeney)

Raising investment isn’t about having a “cool idea.” It’s about proving you can execute, sell, and build something real without acting entitled or wasting investors’ time.In this episode, angel investor Phil McSweeney (40+ investments; thousands of pitches seen) breaks down what actually gets a yes, what gets you ignored, and the fastest ways founders accidentally sabotage themselves.What you’ll learn: • The first sentence / first two slides that decide whether you’re taken seriously. • Why a pitch should feel like a movie trailer (not an essay). • The reality check investors apply: can this reach £10–20m/year revenue? • Founder traits that matter (and the ones that instantly repel investors) • Why raising money is a relationship, not a transaction. • How young founders can get access and what they must prove first.