Instant Pitch Deck Killers

The REAL Way Investors Review Your Pitch Deck

Just had an incredible chat with Ed Kang from Startups.com about what really happens when investors look at your deck.

Here's the shocking truth:

You don't have 10 minutes.

You have:

• 1 seconds for the cover
• 3 seconds for first 3 slides
• 30 seconds if you're lucky
• 3 minutes if you're exceptional

It's your pitch before the pitch.

The 3-Second Reality Check:

1. Cover slide
2. Problem
3. Solution

That's it. Make it count.

Here's what makes investors instantly close your deck:

? Unclear problem statement

? Paragraphs of text

? Too many bullet points

? Marketing language to investors

? Hyperbolic statements ("We're disrupting everything!")

1. What actually works:

• Cover Slide Magic ??
• Clear one-line pitch
• No fluff or buzz words
• Professional layout
• Sets the tone for everything

2. Problem Slide Power ??

• Be concise but compelling
• Show size (e.g., "40M teenagers face this")
• Make it impossible to ignore
• No generic statements ("Banking is broken")

3. Solution Slide Success ??

• Match exactly to the problem
• Show why you're different
• Be specific, not fluffy
• Demonstrate deep understanding

The Hidden Truth:

You're not pitching for investment in the first deck.

You're pitching for the "maybe pile."

That's it. There is no "yes pile" at this stage.

Remember:

- Simple > complex

- Clarity > creativity

- Evidence > promises

- Numbers > adjectives

Want to know if your deck works?

Show it to someone for 30 seconds.

If they can't repeat your pitch back to you...

Start over.

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