pitch-craft

Pitch Craft

Sequoia-style 12-slide pitch deck structure, slide-by-slide writing guide, storytelling principles, 30 anticipated VC questions with answer strategies.

How It Works

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      PITCH CRAFT                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  Guidance Provided                                              │
│  ✓ Sequoia 12-slide structure                                  │
│  ✓ Slide-by-slide writing guide (Do/Don't)                     │
│  ✓ Storytelling principles (Hero's Journey)                    │
│  ✓ 30 anticipated VC questions + answer strategies             │
│  ✓ Design principles & anti-patterns                           │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

---

Sequoia 12-Slide Structure

Slide 1: Cover

Purpose: First impression, branding

Include:

• Company name, logo
• Tagline (one line: what does your company do?)
• Contact info

Example:

[Logo]
Stripe
Payment infrastructure for the internet
[email protected]

Do:

• Concise, clear tagline
• Professional design
• Include contact info

Don't:

• List buzzwords in tagline
• Complex graphics
• Excessive information

---

Slide 2: Problem

Purpose: VC understands "why does this matter?"

Include:

• 3 key pain points
• Limitations of current solutions
• Market size hint

Storytelling Structure:

"Currently, [target customer] suffers from [problem].
This results in [cost/time/opportunity loss].
Existing solutions ([competitors]) are insufficient because [limitations]."

Do:

• Be specific and quantifiable about problems
• Clearly define target customer
• Use data to prove problem scale

Don't:

• List too many problems
• Use abstract problems ("inefficient")
• Over-criticize competitors

---

Slide 3: Solution

Purpose: How product solves the problem

Include:

• Product screenshots (actual product)
• 3 key features
• "Before vs After" comparison

Storytelling Structure:

"[Product Name] is [core value proposition].
We solve [problem] through [method]."

Do:

• Use real product screenshots (not mockups)
• Only key features (3 max)
• Explain from customer perspective

Don't:

• List every feature
• Use excessive technical jargon
• Use abstract descriptions

---

Slide 4: Market Opportunity

Purpose: Prove TAM is large enough

Include:

• TAM / SAM / SOM
• At least 2 of 3 methodologies
• Growth rate & trends

Recommended Format:

TAM: $10B (Total Addressable Market)
SAM: $2B (Serviceable Available Market)
SOM: $200M (Serviceable Obtainable Market, 5-year)

Methodologies: Bottom-up + Value Theory

Do:

• Conservative estimates (no exaggeration)
• Show calculation process clearly
• Use growth trend data

Don't:

• Use only top-down (low credibility)
• Exaggerate with "trillion-dollar" TAM
• Skip methodology explanation

---

Slide 5: Product

Purpose: Demonstrate how product works

Include:

• Customer flow (3-5 steps)
• Key screen screenshots
• Highlight "Aha moment"

Storytelling Structure:

User journey:
1. [Problem occurs]
2. [Use our product]
3. [Get immediate value]

Do:

• Show real usage scenario
• Simple flow (not complex)
• From customer perspective

Don't:

• Explain technical architecture
• Show every feature
• Just list UI elements

---

Slide 6: Traction

Purpose: Prove "this actually works"

Include:

• Growth graph of key metrics
• Customer logos (well-known customers)
• Key milestones

Recommended Metrics by Stage:

Pre-seed/Seed:

• MAU / DAU
• Early customer count
• Customer testimonial quotes

Series A:

• MRR / ARR graph (growth curve)
• Customer count & Retention
• NPS or customer satisfaction

Series B:

• ARR $1M+
• YoY growth rate 100%+
• CAC / LTV ratio
• Net Revenue Retention

Do:

• Clear growth curve
• Metrics appropriate to stage
• Honest data

Don't:

• Use vanity metrics
• Hide growth with cumulative data
• Too many metrics (3-4 max)

---

Slide 7: Business Model

Purpose: How we make money

Include:

• Revenue structure (subscription, transaction fees, licensing, etc.)
• Pricing (by tier)
• Unit economics (CAC, LTV, Payback)

Recommended Format:

Revenue Model: SaaS Subscription
Pricing:
  - Starter: $49/mo
  - Pro: $199/mo
  - Enterprise: Custom

Unit Economics:
  - CAC: $500
  - LTV: $3,000
  - LTV:CAC = 6:1
  - Payback: 8 months

Do:

• Keep structure simple and clear
• Prove unit economics health
• Show position vs benchmarks

Don't:

• Use complex pricing structures
• Skip CAC/LTV
• Use theoretical numbers (no actual data)

---

Slide 8: Competitive Analysis

Purpose: Understand competition and clarify differentiation

Include:

• 2x2 positioning map
• 3-5 competitors
• Our unique value

Positioning Map Example:

Y-axis: Enterprise-ready
X-axis: Developer-first

Us: Top right (Developer-first + Enterprise-ready)
Competitor A: Top left
Competitor B: Bottom right

Do:

• Be honest in competitive assessment
• Clearly articulate differentiation
• Focus on sustainable advantages

Don't:

• Say "no competitors"
• Claim top position on all axes
• Underestimate competitors

---

Slide 9: GTM Strategy

Purpose: How we'll scale

Include:

• Primary channels (3 max)
• Customer acquisition strategy
• CAC & conversion by channel

Recommended Format:

Primary: Inbound (SEO, Content)
  - CAC: $200
  - Conversion: 3%

Secondary: Outbound (Sales team)
  - CAC: $800
  - ACV: $5,000

Tertiary: Partnerships
  - 3 strategic partnerships signed

Do:

• Clearly prioritize channels
• Use actual data (not estimates)
• Show scale plan

Don't:

• Plan to do all channels
• Use channels without unit economics
• Depend on "virality"

---

Slide 10: Team

Purpose: Build confidence that this team can execute

Include:

• Founders (photo, name, role)
• Relevant experience (domain, tech)
• Key team members (CTO, Head of X)
• Advisors (notable people)

Key Elements to Highlight:

• Domain expertise
• Previous founder experience
• Top-tier company experience
• Education (Stanford, MIT, etc.)

Do:

• One-liner on each person's key credential
• Prove team completeness
• Use professional photos

Don't:

• Include too many people (key only)
• List irrelevant experience
• Show incomplete team (critical roles open)

---

Slide 11: Financial Projections

Purpose: Prove realistic growth plan

Include:

• 3-5 year financials (revenue, costs, P&L)
• Key assumptions
• 3-scenario summary (Base/Bull/Bear)

Recommended Format:

         2025   2026   2027   2028   2029
Revenue  $500K  $2M    $6M    $15M   $35M
COGS     $100K  $400K  $1.2M  $3M    $7M
S&M      $200K  $800K  $2.4M  $6M    $14M
R&D      $150K  $600K  $1.8M  $4.5M  $10.5M
G&A      $50K   $200K  $600K  $1.5M  $3.5M
-----------------------------------------
EBITDA   $0     $0     $0     $0     $0

Do:

• Use realistic growth rates (SaaS: 2-3x YoY)
• State key assumptions
• Show break-even timing

Don't:

• Use hockey stick without justification
• Omit cost structure
• Over-optimize (too rosy)

---

Slide 12: Investment Proposal (The Ask)

Purpose: Clear request and use of funds

Include:

• Fundraising amount
• Dilution (optional)
• Use of funds plan
• Milestones (18-24 months)

Recommended Format:

Raising: $3M Series A
Use of Funds:
  - Engineering (50%): Hire 5 engineers
  - Sales & Marketing (30%): GTM expansion
  - Operations (20%): Infrastructure, operations

18-month Milestones:
  - $1M ARR
  - 50 enterprise customers
  - Product-market fit in 2 verticals

Do:

• Be specific on amount
• Have concrete use plan
• Set measurable milestones

Don't:

• Say "flexible" on amount
• Have vague uses
• Set unrealistic milestones

---

Storytelling Principles

Hero's Journey Structure

Act 1: Setup (Slides 1-3)
  - Hero: Target customer
  - Ordinary world: Current situation
  - Call to Adventure: Problem emerges

Act 2: Confrontation (Slides 4-8)
  - Trials: Existing solutions fail
  - Helper: Our product
  - Proof: Traction, customer success

Act 3: Resolution (Slides 9-12)
  - Plan: GTM, financials
  - Team: People who can execute this
  - Call to Action: Investment ask

Narrative Flow

Problem (Why now?)
  ↓
Opportunity (Why this?)
  ↓
Solution (Why us?)
  ↓
Proof (Why believe?)
  ↓
Plan (Why succeed?)
  ↓
Request (Why invest?)

---

30 Anticipated VC Questions + Answer Strategies

Market

Q1: "Is the TAM really that big?" Answer Strategy: Cross-validate with 2+ methodologies, emphasize conservative assumptions

Q2: "Why is this market growing now?" Answer Strategy: Present 3 trends (technology, regulation, behavior change)

Q3: "Why aren't existing players doing this?" Answer Strategy: Explain Innovator's Dilemma or technical constraints

Q4: "Isn't this market too niche?" Answer Strategy: Show wedge strategy, expansion path

Q5: "Isn't competitor X already doing this?" Answer Strategy: 3 differentiation points, our unique insight

---

Product

Q6: "Is this really 10x better?" Answer Strategy: Specific benchmarks, customer quotes

Q7: "Why will customers switch?" Answer Strategy: Prove Switching cost < Value gain

Q8: "What's on the roadmap?" Answer Strategy: Now/Next/Later, customer-driven

Q9: "Do you have technical defensibility?" Answer Strategy: Data, network effects, or "speed is moat"

Q10: "Could AI replace this?" Answer Strategy: How we leverage AI, why AI alone isn't enough

---

Traction

Q11: "Why did growth flatten?" Answer Strategy: Honestly explain why, show recovery plan

Q12: "Why is CAC so high?" Answer Strategy: Normal for early stage, show improvement path

Q13: "Why is churn high?" Answer Strategy: Cohort improvement trends, pre vs post PMF

Q14: "Who are your top 3 customers?" Answer Strategy: Logos, use cases, ARR

Q15: "Why did customers sign?" Answer Strategy: Customer interview quotes, ROI data

---

Business Model

Q16: "Why this pricing?" Answer Strategy: Value-based pricing, A/B test results

Q17: "When do you go enterprise?" Answer Strategy: SMB → Mid-market → Enterprise path

Q18: "When will unit economics be healthy?" Answer Strategy: Payback improvement trends, scale effects

Q19: "Why subscription model?" Answer Strategy: Customer lifetime value, predictability

Q20: "Cross-sell / upsell opportunities?" Answer Strategy: Product roadmap, expansion revenue data

---

Competition

Q21: "What if [large company] does this?" Answer Strategy: Speed, niche focus, large company constraints

Q22: "Competitor X raised more capital..." Answer Strategy: Capital efficiency, our advantages

Q23: "Is competitive advantage sustainable?" Answer Strategy: Network effects, switching costs, brand

Q24: "M&A risk?" Answer Strategy: Integration difficulty, cultural differences

Q25: "What about price wars?" Answer Strategy: Value differentiation, high customer LTV

---

Team

Q26: "Why no co-founder?" Answer Strategy: Core team completeness, hiring plan

Q27: "You lack [role] experience?" Answer Strategy: Advisors, hiring priorities

Q28: "What about your previous failed startup?" Answer Strategy: What you learned, what's different now

Q29: "When will you go full-time?" Answer Strategy: Runway milestone, risk management

Q30: "Co-founder equity split?" Answer Strategy: Allocation, vesting schedule

---

Design Principles

Visual Hierarchy

1. One Message Per Slide
   - One key message per slide
   - Title is the message (details in body)

2. Visual > Text
   - Prioritize graphs, charts, images
   - No long paragraphs

3. Consistency
   - Font, color, layout consistency
   - Use templates

Color & Font

Color:
  - Primary: Brand color
  - Secondary: Data visualization
  - Accent: Emphasis
  - Max 3-4 colors

Font:
  - Headers: Bold, 32-48pt
  - Body: Regular, 18-24pt
  - Annotations: Light, 14-16pt
  - Sans-serif recommended (readability)

Data Visualization

✅ Good Charts:
  - Line chart (growth trends)
  - Bar chart (comparison)
  - Simple pie chart (proportions)

❌ Bad Charts:
  - 3D charts
  - Too many data points
  - Charts without legend

---

Anti-Patterns (What NOT To Do)

❌ Text Bomb

Long paragraphs and tiny font on slides → VCs won't read it, won't listen to you

❌ Template Overuse

Using free pitch deck template as-is → VCs have seen hundreds of identical decks, no differentiation

❌ Excessive Jargon

"AI-powered blockchain-based quantum..." → VCs care about problem solving, not technology

❌ Ignoring Competition

"We have no competitors" → VCs interpret as market misunderstanding

❌ Unrealistic Financials

Hockey stick without explanation → Loses credibility

❌ Animation Overuse

Slide transitions, per-element animations → Distracting, unprofessional

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Pitch Practice (Rehearsal)

Practice Checklist

□ Can you tell the story without slides?
□ 10-minute version (essentials only)
□ 30-minute version (with Q&A)
□ 60-minute version (deep DD)
□ Prepare answers to 30 anticipated questions
□ Practice 3+ times in real settings (advisors, friends)
□ Record yourself and review
□ Check voice tone, pace, gestures

Pitch Delivery Tips

1. Storytelling
   - Tell a story, not recite numbers
   - Start with customer use cases

2. Confidence without Arrogance
   - Be confident, not arrogant
   - Maintain humble learning stance

3. Listen
   - Don't be defensive to VC questions
   - Treat feedback as learning opportunity

4. Time Management
   - Master the 10-minute core pitch
   - Never exceed time limit

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Related Skills and Commands

• financial-modeling — Generate Slide 11 financial projections
• market-sizing — Analyze Slide 4 TAM/SAM/SOM
• competitive-landscape — Build Slide 8 competitive analysis
• startup-metrics — Choose Slide 6 traction metrics
• /pitch-review — Review completed pitch deck (100-point rubric)
• /business-case — Expand pitch deck content into document