Hooking Investors with a Great Story

Let’s be real: everyone’s got an opinion on how to create a pitch deck. Some say it needs to be a 50-slide epic. Others say keep it to a cool five, and investors will love you forever. But here’s the deal—your one job is to get them leaning in and, more importantly, get to the next meeting. It’s not rocket science. The best pitch decks are like a great first date: you give just enough to keep them interested, without laying out your entire life story in one go.

Your pitch deck should tell a story—a story that has investors nodding along, looking intrigued, and hopefully not scrolling through their phones. Think of it as a movie trailer for your business. You don’t spoil the ending, but you give them a taste of the action.

Ready to roll? Let’s get into the key ingredients.

• The Problem Statement. Start strong. Open with WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. Not just any problem, but the one keeping your customers up at night, staring at the ceiling. Make it real. Make it hurt! Get the investors thinking, "Yeah, this is a problem I didn't know I needed solved." If they’re not nodding their heads by the end of this slide, you’ve got some work to do.
• Vision. Now hit them with the dream. This is your “save the world” moment. What will the future look like when your company knocks it out of the park? Paint a picture of a perfect world where your solution exists, and everything’s better. Investors love a good "future of the world" vision. Bonus points if they can imagine themselves in it.
• Customers. Who’s buying your solution, and why do they love it? If you can prove that actual humans (preferably not just your mom) are paying for your product, even better. Show that there’s a real, hungry market out there, just waiting for you to drop your next big thing.
• Value Proposition. This is where you show off what makes you special. What’s your secret sauce? Why are you the one to solve the problem, and why can’t someone else do it better? Be bold here—don’t just mumble through this part. Investors need to believe you’re the one to make it happen, no questions asked.
• Business Process. Now, how exactly are you pulling this off? Walk them through your master plan without getting too far into the weeds. Think big milestones, key steps, and any fancy roadmaps you’ve got up your sleeve. Just enough to prove you’re not winging it. Investors like plans—they hate surprises.
• Skills and Culture. Time to flex a little. This is your chance to show off your dream team. Highlight the talent, the experience, and the energy your team brings to the table. But don’t stop there—talk about culture. Why do people want to work with you? Investors want to know you’re building something that attracts great people, not just cranking out a product.
• The Goal. What’s the next big thing you're aiming for? Lay out a clear, ambitious goal that shows you’re thinking ahead but not jumping the gun. It could be hitting revenue targets, expanding your user base, or dropping a new feature that’ll blow minds. Whatever it is, make sure it sounds exciting and achievable. Investors are more likely to stick around if they know what success looks like.
• The Market (aka TAM, SAM, SOM). Now, for some market math. Investors want to know how big this opportunity really is—because if there’s no market, there’s no money. Here’s the breakdown: TAM (Total Addressable Market): This is the dream—if literally everyone bought your product, how big could it be? Go wild. SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market): Here’s where you come back down to Earth. How much of the market can you actually serve, given your current resources and focus? SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): Time to get real. What part of the market can you realistically grab in the short term? Investors appreciate ambition, but they love it even more when it’s grounded in reality.
• Team. Behind every successful venture is a team that turns dreams into reality. It’s the doers, the innovators, and the problem-solvers who roll up their sleeves and get things done. These are the people who share the vision, tackle the challenges head-on, and bring the product to life with passion and precision. Together, they’re the engine that drives the company forward, constantly pushing boundaries and making sure the dream doesn’t just stay a dream—but becomes something tangible and thriving.
• Reference. Nobody wants to feel like they're betting on a pipe dream. Throw in some references when you make claims—testimonials, customer quotes, partnerships, sources—whatever you’ve got to back up your claims. Make sure there’s proof that people love what you’re doing and that they’re not just being polite.

The 1-Minute, 1-Slide Rule

Here’s a rule of thumb: for every minute you’ve got to pitch, you get one slide. Got 10 minutes? That’s 10 slides. No more, no less. Investors aren’t here for a lecture—they want the Cliff Notes, not the whole textbook. Keep it tight and make sure every slide earns its spot.

Now, go out there and drop the mic with a pitch deck that’ll have investors lining up to give you money. Remember, the goal isn’t to answer every question—it’s to make them want to know more. Lean in, get the next meeting, and win them over!

I like my slides like I like my coffee: clean, simple, and effective. If I’m reading a novel on every slide, I’m already lost. If I’m trying to decode what’s happening, I’m definitely checking my phone. So here’s the rule: Keep it simple. Focused. To the point. You’ve got one job—to sell your idea. Don’t make me work for it.

Think of your slides as a headline, not a paragraph. Your goal is to give me just enough to get me excited and curious for the next one—not overwhelm me with data or bog me down with fluff shit. Less is more, people.

Let’s leave the PowerPoint novels to someone else! Keep it sharp, make it pop, and for the love of all things business— don't overcomplicate it.