The Executive Buy-In Presentation System
MaryBeth Hazeldine
24-Year Banker -> Presentation Expert
Executives decide before your presentation ends. Structure accordingly
You've done the work. You know the material. You've prepared the slides.
And yet the decision stalls.
Polite nods. Reasonable questions. Then: "Let's take this offline." "We'll circle back." "Good discussion."
Translation: No decision today.
If this keeps happening, it's not because you lack expertise or presentation skills. It's because the way you're structuring your message doesn't match how senior people decide.
Here's what nobody tells you: executives make their decision in the first few minutes, then spend the rest of the time looking for reasons to trust that instinct—or doubt it. When you lead with context, build to your recommendation, and back it up with extensive data, you're triggering doubt, not confidence.
The unspoken question in their mind: "If they need this much explanation, is the recommendation actually solid?"
This course gives you a different approach—a system built on how decisions actually happen in senior rooms. You'll learn to structure your message so that "yes" feels like the obvious, low-risk choice.
Not through tips you'll forget under pressure. Through a repeatable system that works even when you're tired, rushed, or facing pushback.
What you’ll learn
Stop over-explaining and start guiding decisions. You'll become the professional who walks into senior rooms and walks out with a yes.
Use the Executive Buy-In Blueprint to organise any high-stakes presentation in minutes, not hours—with a structure executives respond to.
Lead with what matters, not with context. You'll learn why building to your recommendation actually increases doubt instead of trust.
Apply the same structure to board presentations, client pitches, budget requests, and internal recommendations—without rethinking.
Use the Decision Definition Canvas to clarify the real ask in under 10 minutes—so you stop preparing for the wrong conversation entirely.
Distinguish between meetings and decisions. Most presentations fail because the presenter doesn't know which one they're in.
Stop over-preparing for every possible question. You'll know exactly what matters and what you can safely leave out.
Learn what executives judge silently before you've finished your second slide—and how to pass that test without saying a word about it.
Use the Credibility Release Checklist to identify what to remove from your presentation so your expertise speaks for itself.
Understand why smart, experienced professionals accidentally signal insecurity—and the subtle shifts that project calm, senior confidence.
Learn the difference between evidence and reassurance. Most presenters use proof that defends their work instead of calming concerns.
Use the Proof Selector Matrix to choose 1-2 powerful proof points instead of overwhelming stakeholders with defensive data.
Understand why "more data" often weakens decisions—and how to provide exactly the reassurance senior decision-makers are looking for.
Recognise the four types of pressure (clarity, risk, control, status) and respond appropriately instead of reacting defensively.
Use the Pressure Response Playbook to stabilise, reframe, and resolve challenges—even when you don't know the answer immediately.
Learn how to say "I don't know" in a way that builds credibility instead of destroying it—a skill most senior professionals never master.
Learn where AI helps and where it destroys credibility. Most professionals use AI at exactly the wrong stage of preparation.
Use the Decision-Safe AI Prompt Set to generate content that sounds like you—not like everyone else who typed the same generic prompt.
Prompt from structure, not panic. You'll use AI as an execution engine after you've done the strategic thinking—not as a replacement for it.
Learn directly from MaryBeth
MaryBeth Hazeldine
24 years at JPMorgan, PwC, RBS. Now training executives to win decisions.
Who this course is for
You present to executives, boards, or steering committees—and need decisions, not "good discussions." Your credibility is on the line.
You pitch to clients and present recommendations for a living. Stalled decisions cost you deals, revenue, and repeat business.
You're in relationship management, business development, or sales—presenting to win deals, budgets, or strategic alignment.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from MaryBeth Hazeldine in a real-time, interactive format.
7 focused video modules (4-5 hours total)
Short, focused lessons designed for busy professionals. Each module solves a specific failure mode in high-stakes presentations—from unclear asks to defensive over-explaining. The content is practical, not theoretical. Watch a module in the morning, apply it to your presentation that afternoon. Complete the course in 2-3 weeks alongside your normal
The Decision Definition Canvas
Most presentations fail before slide one—because the presenter isn't clear on what decision they're actually asking for. This canvas helps you clarify the real ask in under 10 minutes. You'll stop preparing for the wrong conversation, eliminate unnecessary content, and walk into the room knowing exactly what success looks like.
The Executive Buy-In Blueprint
The exact structure senior decision-makers respond to. Executives scan before they listen—and decide before you've finished. This blueprint works with that psychology instead of against it. Use it to organise any high-stakes presentation in minutes, whether you're presenting to a board, a client, or an investment committee. Works across industries.
The Credibility Release Checklist
Smart professionals accidentally undermine themselves by over-explaining, over-justifying, and including too much detail. This checklist identifies exactly what to remove so your expertise speaks for itself. You'll learn what executives judge silently in the first two minutes—and how to pass that test without saying a word about your credentials.
The Proof Selector Matrix
More data doesn't mean more confidence. In fact, piling on proof often increases doubt instead of reducing it. This matrix helps you choose 1-2 powerful proof points that reassure decision-makers instead of overwhelming them. You'll learn the difference between evidence that defends your work and evidence that makes "yes" feel safe. 6. Title (29 c
The Pressure Response Playbook
Tough questions. Sceptical executives. Unexpected pushback. This playbook gives you a framework for responding with calm authority—even when caught off guard. You'll recognise the four types of pressure, know how to respond to each, and learn how to say "I don't know" in a way that builds credibility instead of destroying it.
Your Personal Executive Playbook
A system tailored to your specific pressure patterns and default habits under stress. By the end of the course, you'll have a personal playbook that identifies your triggers, your typical failure modes, and your go-to recovery strategies. This makes the system automatic—so you don't revert to old habits when the stakes are high.
Decision-Safe AI Prompt Set
AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT can accelerate your preparation—or destroy your credibility with generic content. This prompt set shows you exactly how to use AI without sounding like everyone else. You'll prompt from structure, not panic, and produce content that sounds like you. Think of AI as an execution engine, not a replacement for thinking
Weekly live Q&A sessions with Mary Beth
Get your specific questions answered in real time. Each week, join a live session where you can ask about your presentations, get feedback on your approach, and learn from other participants' challenges. These sessions are recorded, so you can revisit them anytime. It's like having a presentation coach on call when the stakes are high.
Lifetime access to all materials and updates
High-stakes presentations don't stop after the course ends. Return to any module, tool, or recording whenever you need it. As the course evolves and improves, you'll get access to all updates at no extra cost. Use it before your next board presentation, client pitch, or budget request—for as long as you need it.
Maven Guarantee
This course is backed by the Maven Guarantee. Students are eligible for a full refund up until the halfway point of the course.
Course syllabus
4 live sessions • 36 lessons
Week 1
Schedule
Live sessions
1 hr / week
Thu, Feb 5
12:00 PM—1:00 PM (UTC)
Thu, Feb 12
12:00 PM—1:00 PM (UTC)
Thu, Feb 19
12:00 PM—1:00 PM (UTC)
Thu, Feb 26
12:00 PM—1:00 PM (UTC)
Videos, Tools, and Worksheets
1 hr / week
Why This Course Isn't Like Other Presentation Courses on Maven
There are good presentation courses on Maven. They teach storytelling, executive presence, data visualisation, and communication frameworks.
This course teaches something different.
It teaches you how decisions actually get made—and how to structure your message so that "yes" feels like the obvious choice.
Other courses focus on communication. This focuses on decisions. Most courses help you present more clearly. This course helps you win outcomes. Clarity is the vehicle—not the destination.
Other courses teach techniques. This gives you a system. Techniques require you to remember what to do in the moment. Systems work even when you're tired, stressed, or under pressure. This is a system.
Other courses aim to impress. This aims to reduce risk. Executives don't say yes because they're impressed. They say yes because it feels safe. This course teaches you how to make your recommendations feel low-regret.
Other courses are taught by communication experts. This is taught by someone who's been in the room. I spent 24 years in corporate banking presenting to boards, investment committees, and skeptical senior stakeholders. I know what works—not because I studied it, but because I lived it.
The Psychology Behind the System (Why It Actually Works)
Most presentation advice ignores how senior people actually make decisions.
Here's what research and experience both confirm: executives decide early—often within the first few minutes—then spend the rest of the presentation looking for reasons to trust that instinct or doubt it.
When you lead with context, build slowly to your recommendation, and back it up with extensive data, you're not building confidence. You're triggering doubt.
The unspoken question in their mind: "If they need this much explanation, is the recommendation actually solid?"
This course is built on decision psychology, not presentation theory. Every module addresses a specific psychological barrier that stops senior stakeholders from saying yes:
Ambiguity creates anxiety (Module 1)
Too much context signals uncertainty (Module 2)
Over-detail suggests insecurity (Module 3)
Excessive proof feels defensive (Module 4)
Generic content lacks authority (Module 5)
Defensive responses destroy trust (Module 6)
You'll learn to work with how executives actually think—not against it. The result: less resistance, faster decisions, and outcomes that go your way.
Not Just Presentation Skills—Anxiety Management Built In
Here's something most presentation courses won't tell you: the best structure in the world won't help if your nervous system is working against you.
I know this personally. For five years as a junior banker, I lived with presentation anxiety that bordered on debilitating. Racing heart. Sleepless nights. The constant feeling I was about to be exposed.
I overcame it—not by becoming fearless, but by understanding the psychology of both decisions and anxiety.
Today I'm a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and NLP Master Practitioner, alongside my 24 years of corporate banking experience. This means I understand not just what to say, but why high-stakes presenting feels so hard—and what to do about it.
This course addresses both sides:
The structural side: How to organise your message so executives want to say yes.
The psychological side: How to manage the pressure, handle pushback without becoming defensive, and show up as the calm, authoritative version of yourself.
You won't find this combination elsewhere. Most presentation experts have never sat in your seat. Most therapists have never presented to a board. I've done both—and I've built this course for people who need both.
Your Investment: What This Course Costs—And Returns
This course is priced for senior professionals who present when the stakes are high.
One successful presentation—a client won, a budget approved, a strategy greenlit—returns the investment many times over. One avoided failure—a deal that didn't stall, a recommendation that wasn't delayed—pays for itself immediately.
But the real return isn't any single presentation. It's the compound effect:
Less preparation time: The system works in minutes, not hours. Stop rebuilding your approach from scratch every time.
Less mental load: Know exactly how to structure your message instead of guessing what might work.
Less stress: Handle pressure and pushback with a framework, not just hope.
More decisions: Stop hearing "let's discuss further" and start hearing "approved."
More credibility: Become known as someone who moves things forward—not someone who presents well but doesn't land decisions.
Most professionals spend 10+ hours preparing for a single high-stakes presentation. This course pays for itself the first time you prepare in 2 hours instead of 10—and walk out with the decision you came for.
Frequently asked questions
ÂŁ199
GBP