Startup Corner #19: A Sanity Check for Your Pitch Deck
How can you think intuitively about your presentation?
Hey friends,
Over the last couple of years, as I’ve reviewed startup pitch decks — I’ve noticed the same pattern.
A founder jumps on a call, walks me through their product with energy and vision, and then shares a deck that… doesn’t quite capture what they just said.
Sometimes it’s missing clarity. Sometimes it skips key context. And other times, it’s full of jargon that drowns the actual insight.
After a while, I realized: most founders aren’t struggling to build good decks because they don’t care — they’re struggling because they’re starting from the wrong place. They’re chasing format instead of substance.
So I started giving them a simple checklist. Not a template. Not a slide order. Just 9 core questions that every investor — myself included — subconsciously looks to answer when reading a deck.
If you’re a founder, this isn’t a plug-and-play formula. This is a sanity check — a tool to make sure your deck is answering the real questions behind the meeting.
Let’s walk through them.
1. Is there a genuine problem you’re solving?
This sounds obvious, but it’s the most common gap I see.
Don’t just describe your product. Start with:
Who is your customer, exactly?
What’s the specific pain they face?
How do you know it’s real — and frequent?
If users don’t feel pain today, they won’t pay tomorrow. And if your deck doesn’t convey urgency, you’re pitching a nice-to-have, not a must-have.
✅ Include: proof of pain — quotes, workflow snapshots, current solutions (and why they suck).
2. Why does this problem need to be solved now?
Timing is everything. Your idea might be great — but is it relevant?
Strong decks show that this moment matters:
Has something changed in tech (AI, infra, APIs)?
Has the market shifted (remote work, regulations)?
Is this a growing tailwind (behavioral trends, unmet demand)?
You’re answering the investor’s silent question: “Why hasn’t someone done this before — and why is now the moment to bet on it?”
✅ Include: market size today vs. future, and the enablers that make this newly viable.
3. What exactly are you building?
This is where many decks go fuzzy.
Be specific. Instead of saying “we empower teams with AI-driven productivity,” say:
“We’re building a calendar and task sync tool that integrates directly into Google Workspace and writes agendas using voice notes.”
Clarity of product = clarity of value. Make the solution tangible.
✅ Include: a simple workflow or before/after experience — what changes when a user adopts you?
4. How does your business make money?
You’d be surprised how many decks don’t answer this directly.
Cover:
How you charge (SaaS? per seat? usage-based?)
Whether the model is validated
Key metrics (LTV:CAC, margin structure, burn)
Delivery channels (B2B, B2C, PLG?)
Even if you’re pre-revenue, show how the business could work. Investors want to know: is this economically sound at scale?
✅ Include: real numbers, not just “freemium model” or “monetize later.”
5. Where do you stand today?
This is your traction story — told plainly, not exaggerated.
Tell us:
How many customers you have
How fast you’re growing (weekly or monthly is best)
What’s working (retention, CAC, pilots)
What assumptions still need to be tested
This builds credibility. It shows you’re grounded in what is, not just what could be.
✅ Include: growth charts, pipeline, and next steps that are in motion.
6. How do you stack up against competitors?
Every investor has this question — whether you raise it or not.
You don’t need to claim “no competitors.” Instead:
Acknowledge who users turn to today
Identify your clear differentiators (at least 3)
Highlight which wedge you’re winning and why
This shows maturity. And it sets up your advantage as a conscious choice, not a lucky guess.
✅ Include: a simple comparison matrix or narrative — “Here’s what exists, here’s where we fit.”
7. Why are you raising money now?
Fundraising isn’t just about the ask — it’s about the plan.
Articulate:
What the funds will unlock (team, GTM, infra)
How long the runway will last
What milestones you’ll hit before the next round
If you can link spend to growth, and growth to revenue, you’re already ahead of the curve.
✅ Include: a brief “use of funds” breakdown with goals attached.
8. Why is your team the one to pull this off?
This isn’t just a bio slide. This is about credibility and cohesion.
Share:
Your complementary skills
Any prior experience solving similar problems
What brought you together
Why you care (founder-market fit matters more than ever)
If your team shows obsession, resourcefulness, and resolve — the idea has a stronger backbone.
✅ Include: what makes your team uniquely right for this specific problem.
9. What does your roadmap look like?
Investors want to know where this is going — and if you’re thinking in systems, not just steps.
Talk about:
Your next 6–12 months (real milestones)
Your 3–5 year vision (market depth, expansion, future products)
How growth becomes sustainable (acquisition, retention, monetization loops)
It’s not about being precise. It’s about showing that your ambition is anchored.
✅ Include: a simple timeline, vision tree, or forward-looking view of what you’ll unlock next.
This isn’t a checklist to impress. It’s a checklist to clarify.
These nine questions aren’t a pitch deck format — they’re a filter.
A pressure test.
A way to make sure your story holds together before you hit “send” on your deck.
And once you’ve filled these out, I promise:
Your pitch will feel tighter
Your conversations will go deeper
And your confidence will come from substance, not slides
— RB
Startup Corner