The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches

Entrepreneurs often prepare for success in pitching through extensive research into securing new business venture funding. However, despite these efforts, challenges in obtaining equity and attracting business partners persist. While research on entrepreneurial pitches has predominantly focused on s...

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Main Author: Ana Maria Ducasse
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002748
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author Ana Maria Ducasse
author_facet Ana Maria Ducasse
author_sort Ana Maria Ducasse
collection DOAJ
description Entrepreneurs often prepare for success in pitching through extensive research into securing new business venture funding. However, despite these efforts, challenges in obtaining equity and attracting business partners persist. While research on entrepreneurial pitches has predominantly focused on successful funded outcomes, new entrepreneurs must also learn about avoiding pitfalls. This innovative genre study shifts the focus by exploring the language used by entrepreneurs in unsuccessful funding bids on TV pitch shows. It applies insights from investor perspectives to guide discourse analyses of unsuccessful pitches in both Spanish and English. The study examines how deal-breakers for angel investors, as perceived in TV pitch content, are discursively communicated in Spanish and English pitches when entrepreneurs present their ideas on reality TV. While unilateral pitch studies abound, this paper responds to a call for change by considering both the pitcher and the investor perspectives. The analysis of the TV pitch genre in English and Spanish offers a fresh perspective on failure, detailing obligatory and optional moves. Findings from entrepreneurs pitching on “Tu Oportunidad'' and ''Dragon's Den'' reveal common structural patterns of failure in entrepreneurial discourse. These insights into why investors say no may enhance future entrepreneurs' chances of success beyond reality shows.
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spelling doaj-art-6b0235d175af454e9267367d4e9fc7c22025-08-20T03:23:02ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110154610.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101546The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitchesAna Maria Ducasse0Corresponding author; RMIT University, 124 La Trobe Street3000., GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, AustraliaEntrepreneurs often prepare for success in pitching through extensive research into securing new business venture funding. However, despite these efforts, challenges in obtaining equity and attracting business partners persist. While research on entrepreneurial pitches has predominantly focused on successful funded outcomes, new entrepreneurs must also learn about avoiding pitfalls. This innovative genre study shifts the focus by exploring the language used by entrepreneurs in unsuccessful funding bids on TV pitch shows. It applies insights from investor perspectives to guide discourse analyses of unsuccessful pitches in both Spanish and English. The study examines how deal-breakers for angel investors, as perceived in TV pitch content, are discursively communicated in Spanish and English pitches when entrepreneurs present their ideas on reality TV. While unilateral pitch studies abound, this paper responds to a call for change by considering both the pitcher and the investor perspectives. The analysis of the TV pitch genre in English and Spanish offers a fresh perspective on failure, detailing obligatory and optional moves. Findings from entrepreneurs pitching on “Tu Oportunidad'' and ''Dragon's Den'' reveal common structural patterns of failure in entrepreneurial discourse. These insights into why investors say no may enhance future entrepreneurs' chances of success beyond reality shows.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002748Business communicationTV-PitchAngel investorsGenre analysisDiscourse analysis
spellingShingle Ana Maria Ducasse
The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Business communication
TV-Pitch
Angel investors
Genre analysis
Discourse analysis
title The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
title_full The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
title_fullStr The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
title_full_unstemmed The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
title_short The language of No: Analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial TV-pitches
title_sort language of no analysing failure to attract funding in entrepreneurial tv pitches
topic Business communication
TV-Pitch
Angel investors
Genre analysis
Discourse analysis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002748
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