Cindy Machles is CEO and Co-Founder of Glue Advertising & Public Relations and a recognized expert in global branding and entrepreneurship.
As an entrepreneur, chief marketing officer for a startup and board member of an active angel network, I’ve watched and delivered more pitch presentations than I can count. Across industries, stages and market cycles, there’s one lesson that stands out above all others for me: The fastest way for a founder to sink a raise is to be too close to their own story.
When you’ve been living and breathing your product for months or years, it’s easy to forget that most investors, especially angels, are often generalists. They may be brilliant and curious, but they are not mind readers.
Your job as a founder is to bridge that gap. The investor doesn’t need a graduate seminar on your technology. They need a crisp, compelling narrative that makes them believe in both the problem you’re tackling and your ability to solve it.
Here’s how to avoid the “too close” trap and bring your audience along for the ride:
Start with the problem—and explain it as simply as possible.
Explain the challenge you’re addressing in lay terms, the way you would to an intelligent friend over coffee. Assume nothing about prior knowledge. Concrete visuals can help, but so can a single vivid anecdote. Maybe it’s a customer story, a moment when you personally felt the pain or a headline that captures the urgency. The goal is to make the investor care before you unveil your solution. If they don’t feel the problem, they won’t embrace the solution.
Show why your solution makes sense and why it’s needed now.
Once the unmet need is crystal clear, describe your answer with equal clarity. Spell out how your product or service tackles the issue differently—and better—than anything else on the market. Don’t assume your audience will “get it” just because you do.
Tangibility wins, be it a short demo video, a live product walk-through or even a simple diagram. Choose the methodology that helps investors visualize the end-user experience most effectively and appreciate why it’s so compelling.
Don’t forget to address timing. Highlight the market trends, regulations or shifts in behavior that combine to make this the perfect moment to act. Demonstrating urgency gives investors a reason to move quickly, which is especially important when the runway from financial stability to cash insecurity may be short, as it often is.
Let others validate your idea.
Testimonials from respected customers, early adopters or industry experts can underscore both relevance and superiority. Data is impactful and should be part of the pitch, but quotes from those “in the know” can often be even more persuasive. Their endorsements are one of the surest ways for you to de-risk the investment and get investors to say yes.
Cover the essentials without drowning in detail.
A pitch still needs the classic elements: a competitive landscape that proves you understand the market; a TAM, SAM and SOM that are sizeable and well-supported; a strong, complementary team; a valuation that’s aspirational yet defensible; a path to scale and a clear ask that leaves no ambiguity about what you want from the room. Each of these deserves a slide or maybe two, but resist the urge to pack them with text.
Think like an investor.
Remember that angels and early-stage venture investors are weighing risks and rewards across their entire portfolio. Show that you understand their perspective. Address obvious questions before they arise, such as customer acquisition costs, regulatory hurdles, the timing of key milestones and when and how your company will become profitable. Anticipating concerns demonstrates maturity and respect for your audience’s capital and inspires trust that you know what you’re talking about and will be able to anticipate and react to the curveballs that will inevitably arise.
Deliver with polish.
Even a flawless deck can fall flat if the delivery is weak. Rehearse with people outside your field until your pacing, body language and answers to tough questions all feel natural. A confident, conversational tone and style will lend clarity to the points you want to make and leave a positive impression long after the meeting ends.
Avoid pitch-sabotaging tunnel vision. Make the investor’s journey effortless by prioritizing problem, solution and proof. Then once you’ve “set the table,” move to the plan, the ask and the team. Do that with strong timing and practiced delivery, and I think you’ll find yours will be the opportunity that’s most likely to get funded.
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