Founders are always pitching their companies. Most people think you pitch only when you’re raising capital, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Hiring your team, convincing customers to pay you, finding vendors, even talking about your new company at Thanksgiving dinner . . . all are forms of pitching, just to different audiences with different purposes.

It’s really important that founders be able to articulate clearly what their company does. Someone outside your industry (like Grandma) should be able to say, “Oh, that makes sense.” When people understand what you do, they find it easier to support you.

If you’re a founder or want to be, consider simplifying your pitch (and trying it out on Grandma). It could end up being the most valuable tool in your arsenal, at least in the early days.