When the spotlight shifted from slides to grilling
My first seed-round pitch in Bogotá started strong: slick deck, confident Spanish, nodding VCs. Then came the preguntas. An investor with a paisa accent asked, “¿Cuál es tu margen operativo después de escalar a México?” I froze, mentally translating “operating margin” while calculating currency hedges. The silence was loud enough to trigger the office motion sensor lights. We raised funds later, but that pause shaved credibility. Since then, I’ve coached founders in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Spain on turning Q & A from minefield into victory lap—especially when Spanish is a second language.
Why Q & A defines you more than the deck
Slides are rehearsed; answers are raw character. Investors in Latin America test three things once the projector dims:
- Dominio: Do you own your numbers—in Spanish?
- Serenidad: Can you handle abrupt interruptions, a cultural norm in Colombian boardrooms?
- Humildad: Do you acknowledge unknowns without losing authority, crucial in Dominican business culture where arrogance kills deals?
Nail these and your accent becomes charming, not distracting.
Table of pitch-critical Spanish Vocabulary
| Spanish | English | Usage Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Margen operativo | Operating margin | Stress the “g” softly: már-hen. |
| Costos variables | Variable costs | Clarify include logística. |
| Proyección de flujo de caja | Cash-flow forecast | Say “pro-yeck-ción.” |
| Tasa interna de retorno (TIR) | Internal rate of return (IRR) | Investors expect abbreviation. |
| Escalabilidad | Scalability | Highlight tech not headcount. |
| Barreras de entrada | Barriers to entry | Link to regulación local. |
| Punto de equilibrio | Break-even point | Often asked first in DR. |
| Financiamiento puente | Bridge financing | Use when requesting convertible note. |
| Estrategia de salida | Exit strategy | Soften promises; avoid hype. |
| Due diligence | Due diligence | English term accepted; translate context. |
Commit these ten terms to muscle memory. They surface in 80 % of investor questions.
Building a bilingual “answer bank”
Long before demo day, I draft a Google Doc with probable preguntas and answers in both languages. Start in English—your mental comfort zone—then translate into lean Spanish. Reading aloud reveals tongue-twisters like “retorno sobre el capital invertido.” Practice until you can spit it out between sips of tinto coffee.
Pro tip: Record yourself on WhatsApp voice notes. Caribbean investors appreciate conversational cadence; Spaniards favor crisp consonants. Play back and tweak speed.
Mind the cultural rhythm of questions
- Colombia: Expect rapid-fire follow-ups. Investors interrupt mid-answer. Hold ground politely with “Permítame terminar este dato y enseguida respondo lo otro.”
- Dominican Republic: Tone is warm but blunt. Silence can feel awkward; fill gaps with a brief recap, “Para resumir…” to keep flow.
- Spain: They love Socratic probing. Admit unknowns with a plan, “No dispongo del dato exacto, pero lo puedo facilitar esta tarde.” Honesty paired with speed wins respect.
Example Q & A dialogue—Medellín seed round
Investor (formal usted)
“Explique cómo sus costos variables cambian al abrir bodega en México.”
Explain how your variable costs change when opening a warehouse in Mexico.
Founder (you, James)
“Claro. El flete sube 12 % por aranceles, pero compensamos con mano de obra 18 % más económica. Resultado: el margen operativo se mantiene en 28 %.”
Of course. Freight rises 12 % due to tariffs, but we offset that with labor that’s 18 % cheaper. The operating margin therefore stays at 28 %.
Investor
“¿Y el punto de equilibrio en ese escenario?”
And the break-even point in that scenario?
Founder
“Se desplaza de 14 a 16 meses. Tenemos financiamiento puente comprometido para cubrir la diferencia.”
It shifts from 14 to 16 months. We have bridge financing committed to cover the gap.
This rhythm—short Spanish sentence, immediate metric—keeps control and projects mastery.
Techniques to answer when your mind blanks
- Bridge and buy time: “Excelente pregunta, para contextualizar…” gives two seconds to think.
- Restate in Spanish: Summarize their query aloud; mishearing in a second language is common.
- Use range estimates: Latin investors value prudence. “Entre 18 y 22 % dependiendo del cambio peso-dólar.”
- Offer follow-up: Promise a document—then deliver within 24 hours, building trust.
Avoid filler words like “eh” or “este.” Replace with “veamos” (“let’s see”), which feels thoughtful.
Non-verbal cues across borders
- Dominican rooms: Smile, nod frequently; conversation is quasi-social.
- Colombian VCs: Keep posture upright; too much gesturing appears nervous.
- Spanish panels: Maintain eye contact while they scribble notes—silence is intrigue, not disapproval.
If on Zoom, disable self-view; latency can cause you to talk over a question, appearing rude.
Turning tough questions into spotlight moments
When asked about competitors you overlooked, reply:
“Tiene razón, Cabify entró al segmento B2B. Nuestra barrera de entrada es el contrato exclusivo con Claro por tres años, blindado en cláusulas de rescisión.”
Translation:
“You’re right, Cabify entered the B2B segment. Our barrier to entry is a three-year exclusive contract with Claro, protected by termination clauses.”
Notice the pattern: acknowledge, pivot, reinforce moat.
Post-pitch etiquette
In Dominican culture, post-Q & A “corridors” matter. Send a concise WhatsApp voice note thanking attendees, referencing one question each. In Colombia, email with attached proyecciones in PDF and Excel. In Spain, schedule a follow-up Zoom—investors enjoy deeper dives after siesta hours.
Reflecting on language and poise
Handling investor Q & A in Spanish sharpened my listening more than any classroom. Every regional accent—from fast paisa syllables to drawn-out Caribbean vowels—trains my ear. Mastery is less about perfect grammar and more about clarity, humility, and speed of trust. I invite you to share your biggest investor-room curveball or your favorite Spanish phrase for “next slide.” Let’s keep turning linguistic hurdles into stepping-stones toward funded dreams.
