pitch deck Archives - Startup Economist

The GTM Slide is Broken: Here’s How to Fix It

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 by Paul O'Brien

The Go To Market Slide (GTM), is the most misunderstood, misused, and mangled slide in the entire startup pitch deck. It’s like the appendix of a pitch; everyone includes it, nobody knows exactly why, and when it bursts, the whole body of your presentation goes septic. Every founder knows they need one. Almost no one

Published in Insights / Research, Startups

45 Comments

A Startup Pitch is NOT a Sales Pitch!

Monday, 24 October 2022 by Paul O'Brien

More than half the pitches I heard this past week went like this, and I want to share this to stress how significantly you should understand how this is NOT a good pitch if you need investors: 1. This is our solution2. This is how it works and all our great features3. We’ve sold it

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Published in Raising Capital

72 Comments

A Competition Slide that Closes Capital

Wednesday, 25 November 2020 by Paul O'Brien

I was asked recently if Facebook and Google are competitors, and the question being asked, struck me with as much alarm as hearing a startup founder say they don’t have competitors. What most frequently gives an investor pause is a slide in a pitch deck that communicates that you’re not paying attention to your market and

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Published in Raising Capital

4 Comments

The 2 Slide Startup Pitch Deck

Monday, 29 June 2020 by Paul O'Brien

Can we connect with investors in 2 slides? It’s said that at the earliest stage, investors are looking for the right people, validation, and a market opportunity but as pitch coaches, advisors, and incubators focus on the merit of the elevator pitch or the perfect email, does it not make sense that the pitch deck

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Published in Raising Capital, Startups

53 Comments

Is the Perfect Pitch Deck Far From Perfect?

Wednesday, 17 August 2016 by Paul O'Brien

A challenge of the premise behind the famous 10 slides; as you prepare to take the stage to pitch, think about how the idea of an elevator pitch (what you say in 30 seconds or less to convince your audience to listen further) factors in. Generally speaking, if you don’t close a deal in the first 3

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Published in Startups

31 Comments

Startup Pitch Slide Tips You Never Hear

Sunday, 07 August 2016 by Paul O'Brien

What Not to Do with Startup Pitch Slides

Pitch deck slides abound and invariably you’re reading the same article over and over again about how you need 10 pitch slides starting with the Problem Solution and ending with the Ask. If you’re struggling to get started with your deck, do a google search for the 10 Pitch Deck Slides and you’ll get more

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Published in Startups

7 Comments

Pitch Slap – How Your Attempt to Get Your Startup Funded is Failed by Your Pitch

Wednesday, 22 June 2016 by Paul O'Brien

You take the stage, perhaps at a demo event or perhaps even in a smaller sense, with an Angel cattle call, group of investors, or even with the press. You’ve been practicing in front of the mirror for weeks the pitch designed for you by the local incubator, crafted after Guy Kawasaki’s famous 10 slides,

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Published in Raising Capital

12 Comments