StoryBoard, a project of Interboard and The Potomac KnowledgeWay Netpreneur Program, gives entrepreneurs a dress rehearsal opportunity before an independent group of experienced local executives. The upcoming StoryBoard on June 19 at the George Mason University Entrepreneurship Center is co-sponsored by Ebiz and the GMU Technology Resource Alliance. (For more information on this event, or for an application to present, contact Interboard.)

Bergman is managing director of Interboard, an organization focused on helping entrepreneurial companies become successful faster by tapping into the knowledge, contacts and experience of outside operating executives. Interboard designs and implements custom-built advisory boards and boards of directors and can help a CEO find an adviser or mentor.

With more than 30 years of experience helping small entrepreneurial organizations grow in the information technology sector, Bergman has held positions as president of Landmark Systems in Tysons Corner and has had senior technical, sales and managerial roles at other entrepreneurial software companies such as CGA, Morino Associates and Comress. He serves on several boards and consults with start-up high-tech companies in the Washington area.

Q: What opportunities does StoryBoard offer to entrepreneurs?

Jeff Bergman: StoryBoard convenes volunteer groups of area executives to help young companies hone their business presentations – especially presentations to possible investors, potential strategic partners or major prospects.

StoryBoard Successes Neil Harris describes how Simutronics' StoryBoard session helped to pare his PowerPoint presentation and do away with the "brain dump" element.

StoryBoard helps emerging companies avoid presentation catastrophes. We provide a dress rehearsal capability that gives entrepreneurs the chance to practice important high-level presentations before an independent group of knowledgeable operating executives from other companies – executives who've "been there . . . and done that" and who can give honest and constructive criticism.

StoryBoard provides entrepreneurs with an opportunity to learn and grow as well as giving experienced executives a chance to make a meaningful contribution to our business community. There are lots of organizations working hard to make this area a hot-bed of entrepreneurial activity with its own flavor and character. By focusing on helping companies "tell their company story," StoryBoard makes a unique contribution.

Bergman: The StoryBoard process takes about 75 minutes. A team – consisting of 3 or 4 panelists, a coordinator and a presentation coach – listens to a company's story and critiques the presentation, direction and plans.

The actual presentation takes 20 minutes; then the panel asks the presenter specific questions and provides a broader commentary on the presentation and whether the objectives were met. The critiques are always constructive, often blunt and unquestionably valuable. And it's always better to hear the hard questions before there is "serious money on the table."

Bergman: Most presenters spend too much time talking about the wizardry of their product or service and not enough time on why the listener ought to be excited. If it's an audience of venture capitalists (VCs), the presentation needs to show why this is an exciting business proposition . . . for the VCs.

Likewise, a presentation to a potential customer must be convincing on how that prospect's compelling business problem will be solved. It sounds simple but most presentations fail because the emerging companies spend far too much time focusing on themselves and far too little time satisfying the needs of their audience.

Bergman: The StoryBoard process provides immediate feedback. The panelists have heard lots of pitches so they know what's good and what isn't. Not much escapes their critical eyes.

StoryBoard Successes For Blackboard CEO Matthew Pittinsky, the StoryBoard session helped his young team hone their message.

If the presentation works, the CEO will know it. And if the CEO doesn't realize it was a flawed performance, he or she soon will. In almost all cases, StoryBoard has helped the CEO to rethink and then rebuild the presentation to gain focus and clarity and to provide a strong, results-oriented conclusion.

By the way, the key issue we are addressing isn't really about developing a good set of slides. Slides (or a PowerPoint show) are just the vehicle used to present the company's story. Sometimes that story is presented without slides in a simple discussion or through a Q&A process. But putting together a slide show forces the entrepreneur to carefully think about what is being said, why it is being said, and what he or she wants to achieve.

Q: How often do you hold StoryBoard conferences?

Bergman: We held five individual StoryBoard sessions last year and this is the first multi-company StoryBoard event. If we get demand from the community and positive feedback from the presenting companies, we hope to conduct another multi-company session in the fall.

Bergman: Yes, there is a one-time fee of $150 for participating in a StoryBoard event. The fee helps cover our basic expenses and allows us to hold these kinds of programs.

All panelists and sponsors are volunteers providing time and advice on a pro-bono basis. Each panelist is selected based on his or her experience and ability to make a meaningful contribution. Most are senior operating executives from large local companies. It's really amazing to see how many busy executives are willing to contribute their time and energies to help entrepreneurial companies succeed.

Bergman: To qualify, a candidate company must have at least five full-time employees and a regular revenue stream. Non-qualifying companies will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and we are considering a similar program but on a smaller scale for smaller companies if there is interest.

StoryBoard is not just for high-tech companies. We have found the critique process to be very useful for emerging companies from a wide range of industries. The vocabulary changes from company to company but the basic elements needed for effective communications are always present.