There is a stretch at the beginning of every new conversation — call it the first ninety seconds — where the other person is not really listening to your words. They're deciding whether to.
Trade the résumé recap for a clear, plain-spoken sentence about who you are now and what you're building toward.
The second beat is a specific detail — one story, one number, one moment.
The third beat is a real question. Not "what do you do." Something you actually want to know.
Slower than feels natural. Lower than feels natural. Get the first ninety seconds right and you earn the next thirty minutes.