The VC firm behind Snapchat took the phrase 'elevator pitch' literally and turned their elevator into a practice pitch room

An elevator pitch is supposed to be a short summary of your business that you could pitch quickly when meeting someone in an elevator.

Venture capital firm General Catalyst decided to take the idea in a very literal sense, so it built a pitch room into the elevator in their Palo Alto, California office. The office is only three stories - a basement, main level and second floor - so startups in their accelerator (or anyone) can practice pitching fast.

Biz Carson/Business Insider

General Catalyst elevator pitch room

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The firm has used it not only to perfect the elevator pitch, but for meetings, some of which have lasted for hours in the small elevator-turned-conference room, said Katja Gagen, General Catalyst's VP of Marketing. It's not as crazy as the stingrays or yoga studios seen in other Silicon Valley businesses, but it's a room that's actually useful - both as an elevator in the literal sense and as a conference room.

Biz Carson/Business Insider

Inside General Catalyst's elevator pitch room