Reliance on a deck to convey everything. Decks are highlights but YOU as the founder must tell the story and capture the attention of the audience you are presenting too. A deck will never tell a story, and investors are buying the founders and their ability to execute. There is standard content which should go in every deck but the key is to make it match your brand, tell the highlights but not the story. Your goal is a founder is get in front of the investors rather so that you can tell your story and have a two way dialogue. That is a requirement for moving forward to due diligence and securing funding.

A good Entrepreneur pitch deck (Slide presentation) is concise, visually appealing, and focuses on key points. Practice delivering a compelling narrative that captures investors' attention.

Potentially the 1st Mistake is creating a ‘deck’? Is a ‘deck’ the best way to produce the desired outcomes? If not ‘GOSUB2000’ and consider if your sub-routine should be more interactive, more informative, differentiated and (as such memorable and harder hitting) and maybe something more informal could build stronger relationships? Then return to your normal sales process…?

Not practicing the pitch before meeting up with the audience, testing out the tools and being confident in their presentation, the deck works as a visual prompt, the presenter must be able to provide brief detail per slide

Your pitch should be engaging and clear, with a visually striking presentation. It must demonstrate your deep knowledge and expertise in the field while showcasing a design and style that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the industry's best. After presenting to potential investors, I recommend including what I term a 'Black Sheet'. This is a concise, one-page document summarizing the key information for investors. It effectively encapsulates your presentation, clarifies your proposal, and succinctly outlines the investment opportunity. In terms of design, bear in mind: simplicity is key, contrast is essential, and the spacing between objects is a frequently underestimated yet crucial aspect of any presentation's visual appeal.

Preparing a pitch deck without a clear problem and solution contains a significant challenge. A fundamental element of any successful pitch is providing remedy to a problem and presenting a compelling solution. Without this basis, it becomes difficult to attract investors and stakeholders. Consider refining your pitch by clearly defining the problem your product or service solves and how your venture provides a unique solution.

Highlighting the solution in a pitch deck is crucial, as you can make visible the value that your product or service brings to the market (it must naturally fit) Drawing a parallel with the canva business model adds significance. Canva has demostrated the power of a compelling value proposition, making the product indispensable.

I regularly see founders trying to solve an issue that is in their heads rather than solving a problem that has been validated in the marketplace. Solving a problem that does not exist is a common problem. However, if the problem is there then make sure the pitch deck explains it and highlights how the solution solves it and adds value or benefits.

As a founder you are passionate and have a strong sense of conviction for your problem and solution. You are closely tied to it. You know your solution is the best, and you want others to see exactly how. This makes it easy to over complicate you message. Try to boil down your problem to its most basic level. In the most simple terms possible, what is the problem that you see in the market? Why is it frustrating so many people? With the problem defined in simple terms, outline your solution in the same way. How can you take away the frustration that so many in the marketplace have? You want to get to an "aha" moment with your audience as quickly as possible. If this isn't occurring in your pitches, refine the message you are delivering.

Poor Design and Presentation: A visually unappealing or poorly designed deck can detract from the message. It should be professionally designed to be visually engaging and easy to follow.

Not making sure of the needs in the market usually results in cash flow problems as low or no sales drain your cash. So make sure you are unique and people want your products. Otherwise don't even bother spending your startup capital

Your business exists because clients are looking for the solution you provide. What conversations are you having to deeply understand your client's problem? This knowledge is critical when it comes to pitching or selling your company. Too many companies base their metrics on past sales data, rather than an ongoing dialogue with their clients to ensure you continue to meet their needs.

One of top reasons that businesses fail is lack of a true solution - meaning, one that serves a true need or desire in the market. This is why it is a core area investors examine in a pitch. You also need to keep in mind that validation will look different depending upon the stage you are at. New, seed stage companies will have tested and validated a lot less than their more mature Series B counterparts. Show what testing you have done in the marketplace to date. How have people reacted to your solution? Share how that validation has grown. Talk about how it has started to compound. Put it all on a timeline. This is your traction. And as it builds, the more compelling your story becomes.

The number one reason small businesses fail is lack of market need. Entrepreneur often start a business based upon a dream, passion or skillset. Instead of properly researching the industry, consumer demand, business expenditures, profit margins, and competitive analysis of the marketplace. Then, completing a comprehensive business plan with full financials and profit & loss statements.

When discussing competition in your pitch you should focus on your unique value proposition (UVP) and a few key competing forces. Competing forces are things that differentiate you and your competitors, things like an innovative feature, price, customer experience, etc. Start with your UVP. Clearly define it. What makes you different and stand out from everyone else? There are likely two or three key competing forces here where you do things significantly better than your competition. Highlight these, and talk about how they will hold up, or improve, over time. This is your "moat", and the stronger it is, the better. Discuss your competition's strengths as well. How could these affect your business plans or how you position your offer?

After completing your market research and business plan, entrepreneurs need to define their unique value proposition to establish market differentiation. A marketing strategy must be devised that answer's the question: What will your business bring to a highly-competitive marketplace to properly differentiate your product or service solution?

Most businesses lack an exit strategy. This is a key miss, but especially when you are making a pitch to investors who are looking for returns. You always need to consider: what's in it for them? You should have clear goals on how much money you are raising and how those funds will be used. You should have expectations around how that will grow your business in the future and how it will generate higher business valuations. When you quantify that, you can then quantify returns to your investors.

Pitching for funding is always about showcasing the ideas and KPIs that are mostly interesting to your audience: the investors. Aim to follow the following: if you (investors) give me $$$ for the ABC project, I (entrepreneur) offer you XX% return on your investment paid/delivered in the XYZ way (share structure, optionality for exit, monetization strategy, profit share etc etc).

I recommend including what I term a 'Black Sheet'. This is a concise, one-page document summarizing the key information for investors. It effectively encapsulates your presentation, clarifies your proposal, and succinctly outlines the investment opportunity. (along with having this in the presentation, I also hand a physical copy to the investors as I walk them through the pitch) In terms of design, bear in mind: simplicity is key, contrast is essential, and the spacing between objects is a frequently underestimated yet crucial aspect of any presentation's visual appeal.

They tend to get into the weeds of their products along with unrealistic values. I have had many companies I have helped where the owners had say 70% ownership and they had a great product but were offended when a large investment would push them down to say 25% but the business would have the cash and distribution network for their products. Explaining that 70% of a $5 Million Company versus 25% of a $500 Million is a big difference in value but they get caught up on the % of the Company they own.

Information Overload: focus on key points. Lack of Narrative: Craft a compelling story to enhance understanding and engagement. Insufficient Market Validation: Support claims with robust data for credibility. Ignoring Competition: Acknowledge competitors to showcase market awareness. Underestimating Financial Projections: Provide realistic and well-supported financial forecasts. Neglecting Team Expertise: Highlight the team's capabilities; it's a crucial aspect. Overemphasis on Product: Balance emphasis between the product and the team. Weak Call-to-Action: Clearly articulate the desired next steps for the audience. Successful Pitch: Blend concise information, market validation, and a captivating narrative for impact.

Unrealistic Projections: Overly optimistic or unrealistic financial projections can damage credibility. Projections should be ambitious yet achievable and backed by data.

VCs and Angels typically prioritize your ability to articulate the 'Why' behind your venture. They expect you to weave a compelling narrative that captures the interest of both prospects and investors. They are in search of a persuasive and authentic salesperson, someone they can trust to effectively market the product or service to the intended audience. This piece of knowledge stands out as a key takeaway I've received after numerous pitches to investors.