Crafting irresistible investment pitches

Why is pitching hard and how can you simplify it? 

James Schofield and Hayden Brown from PitchDeck share a clear, plug‑and‑play approach to raising capital. They show how to structure your story, prove traction, and deliver with confidence, so you spend less time spinning plates and more time building.

Key themes include: 

1. Struggling to translate your story for investors.
Capital raises can take 6–12 months and distract founders. Most know too much detail and struggle to translate it for investors.

2. Use the five pillar pitch ready framework to cut noise and focus on what investors need to decide quickly: purpose, problem, product, proof, playbook and promise.

3. Practical do’s and don’ts founders miss:

• Do: Tell a story, not just an idea. Be excited about the opportunity.

• Do: Know your numbers; keep slides clean (20‑point+ fonts), use visuals and data‑viz for speed of understanding.

• Don’t: Overstuff slides, use jargon, or ship a 100‑page deck. Aim ~10–20 slides (max ~25).

• Don’t: Deliver a one-size fits all pitch. Research the audience and adjust depending on the type of investor.

• Do: Engage the room and make it two-way. Be brief and leave time for Q&A

• Do: Prepare for likely questions. It’s OK to say ‘we’ll come back with that”, then follow up.

Key takeaways:

• Use a simple, investor‑centric framework: Purpose → Product → Proof → Playbook → Promise.

• Make product clarity slide one: if they don’t get what you do, nothing else lands.

• Deliver as a story, invite dialogue, tailor to the room, and treat every Q&A as free coaching.

Catch the full conversation in the video and explore the details.