Inside the Mind of the Over-Pitched Investor
Investors, myself included, see hundreds, if not thousands, of decks
The #1 repeating mistake I see in a deck is that the customer story is missing; moreover, in nearly every pitch deck, the “story” is incomplete or entirely missing.
I work with over a dozen+ pre-seed startups at any given time, and I know that just because the story is missing from the deck, doesn’t mean the story doesn’t exist.
So, I wrote this blog to help you craft pitches that will catch investor’s attention, and maybe, just maybe you’ll send me your exciting deck too.
1. Know your story, own it, and tell it
Like anyone else, investors don’t remember data; they remember stories.
If you want your deck to stand out, eliminate everything unnecessary, deliver a core message with a strong narrative, and lay out a sequence of slides that builds on the next.
To frame this a bit, the competition isn’t the competition already out there that you’re researching. It’s your fellow pre-seed startups. You have to stand out. Framing your deck as a story and treating it as a storyboard is a powerful yet under-utilized method in deck creation.
I’ll be showing an example of how to build your deck in story format and what I might think as an investor for each section.
2. But first, win in your mind first, then in the real real
This one’s simple but takes time.
What you think internally will come out externally. When you aren’t confident about a part of your startup, explore it, then own it. If you hide from it internally, you’ll try to cover it up externally, and in general, we can smell a cover-up job.
We’re dumb, and we’re followers: When you’ve accepted yourself, we’re more likely to accept you, too.
Do your work inside your mind; then and only then can you show that confidence externally.
I’m often wondering how much a founder works on their mindset.
3. Show credibility, connect emotionally, and show the evidence!
If you remember anything from this post, it’s this: it’s not what you say but what others remember that matters.
When putting any convincing speech together, you have to think first and foremost — what does my audience value?
Align to what people want, and align to who they already are. The key here is to understand what they want and who they are.
Ethos (Credibility)
This is about establishing trust. Investors need to believe in you first and foremost.
A continuous assessment I’m doing is: Can you lead?
I’m wondering;
- Do others look up to you
- Do you instill confidence
- Will you stick through this
- Do you have domain expertise
- Are you motivated to build a business
- Are you trustworthy
- Is what you’re saying objectively true
Pathos (Values/Emotional Appeal)
The human emotional brain developed millions of years earlier than the logical brain. Connect through emotion to get to the logic.
I might be feeling: How am I connected to this, and what makes me care?
I’m searching for clues on;
- What broken thing are you fixing
- What’s the significance and urgency of the problem
- Do you know what I care about
- Is this in my wheelhouse
- Am I enjoying this interaction
- Do I want to work with you
- Can I add value
Logos (Reason/Context)
A purely emotion-driven pitch won’t seal the deal; you gotta back it up with logic and data.
What’s running through my mind: Is this actually feasible, and how will you win?
I’m looking for;
- Deep insight into the customer
- Externalities that show urgency and timeliness
- Bottom up market data
- A thesis as to why the competition isn’t addressing this
- A unique insight
4. Finally, If you really wanna stand out: Treat your pitch deck as a storyboard
Title slide
Make it headline-worthy. Either a vision of a different world, the unique thing you’ve birthed, or the value being created right now. Your opening slide should set the tone for what’s to follow.
I’ll only have a judgment here if the slide is ridiculous or if it’s just really, really badly designed — like if it hurts my eyes.
The big idea
Set up the story arc. Explain how the world is broken and how you’re going to fix it. Keep this idea simple but memorable.
I’ll mentally cross-reference this with similar startups I know to gauge the startup’s originality, positioning, and tempo.
The team
Show your team’s vibe. Are you hustlers, are you wizards, or are you a band of special operatives? Give your team character, but also tell us what you’ve done in the past and what you stand for. Bold is ok. Actually, it might be great here.
I’m going to be looking for three things at pre-seed. Can you sell, can you build, and do you inspire confidence? Anything else is a ‘nice to have.’
The scene
Bring me into the scene. The bleak beginning and why the world needs a solution, set up the villain and describe the problem you aim to fix in this broken world.
I may already have a view point of this world which in case I’m going to compare your scene with mine, if not I’m going to be thinking about who can I talk to that knows this world.
The hero
Introduce your customers and how they are affected by this world. Tell me why it’s important this person is transformed through a hero’s journey.
I’m gonna be thinking — is this the right customer segment, and is it well defined, and will it be profitable?
The hero’s transformation
Your product or service becomes the hero’s superpower. How does it change the game for them?
I’ll be summing up how well the solution solves the problem, whether you’re focusing on key priorities, and your team’s ability to build.
The hero’s journey
Share the narrative of how the hero tries to solve their problems and the struggles they encounter, how the hero finds you and enlists you to help, and what you are to the hero. Are you a one-time fix or a companion?
I’m looking to understand the story of your customer’s journey with your startup, from discovery to transformation, and how your interaction with them shapes the economics of your business.
The heroes
How many of these heroes are there? Go bottom up — Start with the heroes you are helping, then if those level up, what next? You want specificity and focus here, but don’t pigeonhole yourself into too small a market; instead, think of it as the stage of your growth.
I’m going to be wondering how many mistakes have already been paid for in the startup with previous pivots and whether this market is the right one. I’ll also be assessing if the market is large enough with an unmet need, and whether the team has market resonance.
Dive deeper into the lore
Explain macro triggers — why the world sucks for the hero, what made it this way, and why the current timing matters to be able to help all the heroes. Bring in your best insights here.
I’m looking for an aha moment here. If I don’t get it, well I won’t get it.
Set the story tempo
How many heroes have you helped, who’s bought into your journey, what’s in your war chest, and what’s next in your journey of helping heroes?
I like to see high tempo, leadership through buy-in, and clarity on your immediate roadmap.
Show us victory
While you can’t predict the future, you can say what you want it to look like and what you will do to get us there. Paint a picture of what the world looks like when you’ve helped many heroes, along with the revenue projections, goals, and the path to breaking even towards exit (if it makes sense).
I’m looking to see if there’s conviction and ambition balanced with reality in the victory slides. I want to see really ambitious visions coupled with realistic yet pliable steps to get there.
Give me a way into the story
Make your ask, and also be clear on what you want from me specifically.
I want clarity and confidence in your ask, but also know I’m probably talking to 10+ startups at any given time with compelling offers, so its gotta be within range.
You can change the order of the story and explain the elements across multiple slides, but try to keep the slides within 10–15 slides, finally making it scannable and visually pleasing.
I’ll write a post soon on how to find relevant investors, how to start building relationships to connect with them, and also how to communicate during meetings. Until then, thanks for reading.
