The Do's and Don'ts of Pitching to Investors: Insights from Industry Experts

Pitching your startup to investors can feel like stepping into a high-stakes arena. Nailing your pitch could unlock the resources you need to grow, while missing the mark might mean walking away empty-handed. To help you prepare, we’ve distilled key insights from expert opinions and articles on Medium into a comprehensive guide of essential do’s and don’ts.

The Do's: What You Should Always Do

1. Tell a Compelling Story

Investors want to hear more than just numbers—they want to know your “why.” As Brett J. Fox suggests, a compelling narrative helps investors emotionally connect with your business. Make your pitch relatable by:

• Starting with the problem you solve  - focus on the problem that deserves to be solved and hasn't been yet.
• Showcasing the impact of your solution with real-world examples. - who owns the problem and how abundant is it?
• Sharing your personal motivation behind the business. - why does this resonate with you? You need to demonstrate passion behind this initiative.

2. Focus on the Customer's Pain Point

Andy Budd emphasizes the importance of clearly defining the customer problem. Investors want to see evidence of a genuine, unmet need. Demonstrate that you've validated the pain point with:

• Customer interviews and engagement.
• Market research data.
• Early traction or pilot programs (hint - consumers speak is in the language of money, not lip service). Show more people are willing to pay for the solution.

3. Keep Your Deck Simple and Visual

According to Moti from Medium, complex pitch decks are a thing of the past. Investors prefer simplicity. Use visuals, graphs, and minimal text to convey your key messages. Your deck should:

• Be no longer than 10-15 slides.
• Highlight critical elements like market size, product differentiation, and financial projections.

 The less details on the PowerPoint slide, the more they are listening to you. You and the story are the focus, not the PowerPoint. Perfection is reached when you have reduced as much as you can from each PowerPoint slide, yet it's still succinctly advocates the message it was intended for.

4. Demonstrate Traction and Milestones

Investors are risk-averse; they seek businesses with proof of concept, and proof of progress. Show your momentum through:

• Revenue growth.
• Customer testimonials.
• Key partnerships or product milestones.

5. Know Your Numbers Cold

Investors test your financial literacy to gauge your grasp on the business. Be prepared to discuss:

• Recent Revenue and earnings (with margin %)
• Customer acquisition cost (CAC).
• Lifetime value (LTV).
• Burn rate and growth projections.

The Don'ts: Mistakes to Avoid

1. Don't Overload with Information

Resist the temptation to showcase every detail. As an engineer, I have been guilty of this more times than I can admit. Keep it really simple. Clarity trumps complexity. Avoid:

• Overcrowding slides with text.
• Diving too deep into technical jargon.

 Think of it this way. You need to be given permission to give them more information. Don't fall in the trap of 'and then, and then, and then...".  Give enough that either prompts a question or they at least get the gist of what you were trying to relay. If they're interested, they will ask for more information and that's a good thing.

2. Don't Oversell or Exaggerate

Investors can spot fluff from a mile away. You need to remember that investors see over 50 presentations every single week so they have heard it all.  One misrepresentation or exaggeration will destroy all credibility and you are done. Keep it real and avoid hyping your projections without data to back them up. Be ambitious but grounded.

3. Don't Skip the 'Why Now?' Question

Timing matters in venture capital. Build some sense of urgency in the presentation. This is not to say, show your urgency (desperate for money), but now is the time to strike with the iron hot. Demonstrate that you will be just fine, but sprinkling a little additional now at this time will accelerate the company growth, and that you will have no problem raising money (implying they are competing against other investors to invest first to get in on this great deal).

4. Don't Neglect the Team

Great ideas need capable execution. You will note in several of my blogs that investors invest in people as much as ideas. Highlight your team’s experience, skills, and domain expertise. Don't give motherhood statements like 25 years experience doing… briefly demonstrate why each person has the expertise that is applicable for their job in this company. Succinctly show why they are the best person for this company, or that there is not a better person.

5. Don't Wing It

Rehearse your pitch until it's second nature. Confidence always comes from hard work and preparation, not spontaneity. Wing it, and you likely will be stuttering for words or say the wrong thing and will regret it. It also shows that you are not prepared and did not take the meeting seriously.  Run practice sessions with mentors or peers to refine your delivery. Be sure to be succinct, to the point, and keep it brief.

Conclusion

Pitching to investors requires a balance of storytelling, data, and clarity. What you are really saying (without actually saying) is that you are trustworthy, you know what you are doing, and your company will be successful because it is well thought out and a lot of hard work has been made. Use these learnings and observed I have gleaned from peers, personal experiences and industry experts. If you do this and avoiding common pitfalls, you can increase your chances of securing the funding you need to grow. Remember: a well-delivered pitch isn't just about getting a “yes”—it's about building investor confidence in your vision and execution capabilities.

 Thanks for reading and do well!