Get That First Meeting

One big meeting can transform a startup—but how do you get in front of the right person? Six entrepreneurs share how they scored some coveted face time.

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1/ Deliver the goods.

“I sent a fruit basket full of bee-pollinated items and a bunch of our Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Spray to the Whole Foods Canada office, along with a long note about why I started a company that practices sustainable beekeeping to create clean, natural remedies. It got me an email in response, and though I still had to send a lot of follow-ups after that, I finally got someone on the phone. After that call, Whole Foods took us on.” —CARLY STEIN, founder and CEO, Beekeeper’s Naturals

2/ Save your pennies.