Pitching for Success: Business Students Take on the Dragons

Working in teams of three, T Level Business students at North Notts College put their entrepreneurial skills to the ultimate test during an Elevator Workshop led by The Protocol Group. Over two sessions, they built bold business concepts from scratch before pitching their ideas for the chance to secure a £100 investment.

From Concept to Delivery

Beginning with the “Convince Me Task”, students stepped into the shoes of entrepreneurs. Each group developed viable business concepts from everyday items and impractical product ideas. Teams mapped out their core business models, defined target audiences, and identified key selling points to make their products market-ready.

As their concepts took shape, teams faced high-pressure “Investor Challenges”. Sudden twists included cost increases, new competitors, celebrity endorsements, and negative reviews. Forced to think on their feet, students quickly adapted their strategies and refined their ideas under tight deadlines.

Having refined their concepts, students moved into the “Perfect Pitch” session to practice presenting with confidence. The task challenged them to introduce themselves in 60 seconds without revealing their name, course, or hometown, using their achievements and challenges to tell their story. Speed networking rounds raised the pressure, with students refining their pitches to fit 30-second and 15-second time limits.

Facing the Dragons

With their business plans tested and delivery skills sharpened, each team took the stage for the final showcase. Teams delivered a three-minute business pitch detailing their model, target audience, and competitive edge, followed by a live investor Q&A session.

Judges praised each group on presentation quality, commercial feasibility, and overall teamwork before awarding the £100 prize. The workshop concluded with a debrief on the transferable skills developed throughout the day, including persuasion, problem-solving, and calm under pressure.

Jack, Foundation T Level Business student, said: 

“The presentation was overall great. Dean included us multiple times and ensured that it wasn’t boring or dull. I learned multiple things including talking in front of people and gaining more confidence. When under pressure, I learned to keep my cool as well. I felt included at all times, which made it easier to learn and retain information.”

Rawan, Foundation T Level student, said: 

“I enjoyed this lesson as it felt like I was in a real-life scenario. Every speech interaction or presentation helped me learn new skills. My confidence feels better, especially with body language, and I think this would be good for people who want to develop their skills. I would recommend it 10/10.”

Favour, Foundation T Level student, said: 

“I thought the session was great and beneficial. I learned about communication, first impressions, body language and how to start conversations. I think the lesson was beneficial overall.”

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