12 elevator pitches from successful small businesses

 The Style Foundry: Style consultant; Chagrin Falls, Ohio

The pitch

“I’m Megan Moran, and I am the owner and wardrobe stylist at The Style Foundry. We are a full-service wardrobe styling business that helps you take the stress out of getting dressed through our styling services. A typical customer cycle starts with a Closet Cleanse, where I clean out your closet, tell you what to keep and get rid of, take pictures of all of the yeses and then upload them to an app/website where I mix and match them into over 100 different outfits from what you already own. From there, I am able to really see what’s missing and what you need. We can tackle that by personal shopping, which is done in-person at your favorite stores or ones I suggest; virtual shopping, which is done online (I send you my finds, you buy what you like, and then when all of the items arrive at your house, I come in for a fitting); or through our mobile boutique, which we can pull up in your driveway and fill it with our pieces that best fit your style and shopping list. It’s the best of online and boutique shopping.”

Why it works

In pitching her business, Moran faces a couple of challenges: People don’t realize that styling services like hers are available—and they assume that they don’t have the wardrobe or budget to make it work.

That’s why Moran added the detail about creating 100 outfits from an existing wardrobe. Explaining the process behind her services adds further validity for skeptical clients.

“They realize I’m not trying to make them buy a whole new wardrobe, just weeding out a few things,” she said.