How to Create a Great Pitch Deck Featuring Jenny Fielding, Managing Director of Techstars

01/27/21 • 37 min

This episode of the Retail X Series podcast features an in-depth conversation about how to create a great pitch deck, particularly aimed at preseed and seed stage companies. Jenny Fielding, Manager Director of Techstars and General Partner of The Fund, talks about how to build a deck and why the elements of the deck are so important. Jenny has seen thousands upon thousands of decks, both good and bad, and her advice is a must-listen for founders that are about to start their fundraising process.

Topics:
- Why a pitch deck is important
- How conveying your vision and story is more important than educating an investor
- Why flow matters - and how to kick off your deck with your biggest strengths
- How to include your "secret sauce" without giving away confidential info
- Why all decks (B2B, DTC) must have a customer acquisition/go-to-market slide
- Why you shouldn't include an exit slide or estimated valuation in your deck
- How to make your deck look "pretty" without spending a lot (or any) money
- How not to make these common deck mistakes
Note: Jenny mentions some easy/free tools for making a beautiful deck even if you have no design skills. They are: Beautifully, Canva and Keynote.
Music by Eino Toivanen, kongano.com
Edited by Deven Shah

Learn more at Retail X Series and follow @retailxseries on Twitter and Instagram.
To submit a pitch or to find out more about Sapna Shah, check out Red Giraffe Advisors.

Learn more at Retail X Series and follow @retailxseries on Twitter and Instagram.
To submit a pitch or to find out more about Sapna Shah, check out Red Giraffe Advisors.

Previous Episode

How to Choose an Accelerator/Incubator Featuring Jackie Trebilcock, Managing Director of New York Fashion Tech Lab

Welcome to Season 2 of the Retail X Series Podcast! This episode of the Retail X Series podcast features an in-depth conversation about choosing an accelerator or incubator program, featuring the Managing Director of New York Fashion Tech Lab, Jackie Trebilcock. Jackie gives her tips and advice to founders trying to understand what criteria they should use to evaluate programs, how the process work and even how to take advantage of program resources. For founders who are considering to NYFTL, or any other program, don't miss this episode.

Topics:
- What these sorts of programs look for from startup applicants
- How being virtual has affected timelines since the start of COVID
- What questions founders should ask a program that they are considering applying to
- Why founder/program "fit" matters
- How to leverage mentors in a program - and track that
- Why demo days exist - and can they help you fundraise
- Why program alumni networks can be important
- How to compare and think about programs that take equity versus those that are fee-based
- Jackie's best advice for founders considering applying to an incubator or accelerator
Music by Eino Toivanen, kongano.com
Edited by Deven Shah

Learn more at Retail X Series and follow @retailxseries on Twitter and Instagram.
To submit a pitch or to find out more about Sapna Shah, check out Red Giraffe Advisors.

Next Episode

How to Successfully Pitch a VC, Featuring Mac Conwell of Rare Breed Ventures

This episode of the Retail X Series podcast features is all about the do's and don'ts when pitching a venture capitalist. Mac Conwell, Managing Partner at RareBreed Ventures, talks about what VCs are looking for, what you should ask a VC in your first meeting and demystifies what "traction" really means at the early stages. If you're a founder about to pitch your first VC, don't miss this episode!

Topics:
- What early rounds look like right now - preseed, seed and seed plus
- Why investors look for a startup to have the pathway to becoming a unicorn
- Which early "metrics" are important to VCs
- What traction can look like at preseed, and some unique ways founders have shown traction
- How the first meeting with a VC should go
- What questions founders should be asking VCs in the first meeting
- How to think about valuation at the early stage (hint: it's more art than science)
- Why raising (or trying to raise) too early doesn't work
Follow Mac on Twitter @MacConwell
Music by Eino Toivanen, kongano.com
Edited by Deven Shah

Learn more at Retail X Series and follow @retailxseries on Twitter and Instagram.
To submit a pitch or to find out more about Sapna Shah, check out Red Giraffe Advisors.