During this Bite-Sized Business Session Armughan Syed from VC firm SA&M (Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP) Precellerator, a VC firm based in California will present on what creates a head turning pitch... which can be a door opener or... not!

Today, more than ever the pitch not only has to make sense, it has to be persuasive for all the right reasons.

This is a practical hands on session for all budding and existing business owners.

About: Armughan Syed...

Armughan has spent the last 5 years organizing and training communities in Australia, New Zealand & Canada on mass mobilization technology tools. As part of his work at NationBuilder, his primary area of focus was helping progressive organizations (such as Australians for Equality, the Australian Green party, CollectiveShout Australia) build out their tech infrastructure from a data aggregation perspective. He also trained the major political parties of Australia and New Zealand in the lead up to their federal elections in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

At present, Armughan works at SAM Preccelerator, a venture capital accelerator in Santa Monica. His work focuses on finding SaaS companies to invest in and building out the ecosystem of entrepreneurs in Los Angeles. He also moonlights as the Co-Director of the NLC LA Chapter (work that renews him on the daily). When he’s not running half-marathons, he spends time taking improv classes, goofing around with his three dogs, finding great vegan restaurants to try out or finding joy in being around his partner-in-crime, his amazing wife Heather.

About: Tony Henderson-Newport...

A Kiwi to the bone, Tony spent many years living in the UK, returning to New Zealand in 2014. Tony is a coach and mentor with specific interest in how an individual or business core message can be communicated effectively. Tony also works with start-up and stay-ups and having worked in the IT space in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe is an experienced project, programme and portfolio manager.

He has spoken at Westminster through his work with CEO's in the UK and been to an audience at No 10 Downing Street for his work in raising funds for charities in the UK. Tony Founded PopUp Business School Aotearoa in 2017. The PopUp team have now run 16 events in New Zealand, have over 700 graduates engaged in their Alumni program , run a Longitudinal Study to assess graduate business impact on regional growth and have recently introduced an app (www.bizeziapp.com) for entrepreneurs and business owners globally. Tony is an author, a poet, a proud dad, passionate about all things Kiwi and has been delving into what makes up the Kiwi DNA... in other words, “what makes a Kiwi tick?”