Pitching without a script got Zechariah Thomas three offers on Dragon's Den. The Swift Hockey founder on why he did it, and why he does not recommend it.
Pitching without a script is how Zechariah Thomas walked into Dragon's Den and walked out with three offers. Watch the Founder and CEO of Swift Hockey explain to Stephen Sakach why he did not practice at all, why his was the only episode with no cuts, and why he does not suggest anyone else try it.
The reasoning is better than the stunt. He was a shy kid, and rehearsing made him stutter more. He also presented badly in school on subjects that were not his, geography especially. Speaking about Swift is different: I know it better than anybody. Preparation was never his variable. Whether the subject was actually his was.
The rest of the conversation is about what holds a founder together. His definition of emotional intelligence is a recovery time, not a temperament: you will have the weeks you cannot make payroll, so the question is how fast you get back to the median ground.
Also on screen:
• Watching teammates' parents in the stands after a $400 stick broke
• Building the stick he would actually buy, without venture capital
• Running a team of under-25s like a hockey roster, flat and loud
• Publicizing failures as often as wins, because staff never see the fire
• Why every voice gets used, down to accounting, on marketing and video
Listen to the full episode: The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Business with Zechariah Thomas (https://www.theblisspodcast.com/the-power-of-emotional-intelligence-in-business-with-zechariah-thomas/) Guest profile: Zechariah Thomas (https://www.theblisspodcast.com/guests/zechariah-thomas/) More from the Featured Guest Series (https://www.theblisspodcast.com/categories/bliss-businesses-series/)