Polarizing Pitches Attract Investors

Shaan Puri shares his proven pitch deck template and strategy for raising money from investors, emphasizing that a successful pitch is about telling a compelling story rather than just presenting information.

Key Structure and Strategy:

• Opening Impact

  • Start with a clear title and compelling subtitle explaining what you do
  • Lead with credibility if you have it - show why investors should listen
  • Use "humble brags" to establish authority

• Problem Framing

  • Present the problem with powerful data or personal stories
  • Show current solutions and why they're inadequate
  • Create a "Steve Jobs moment" by introducing your solution as the perfect answer

• Building Confidence

  • Demonstrate traction with a "hero chart" showing real progress
  • Connect to larger market trends
  • Answer "Why now?" - explain timing and market readiness
  • Show clear unit economics and business model

• Key Differentiators

  • Don't just list features
  • Show clear contrast: "Everyone else does X, we do Y"
  • Focus on product, business model, or growth strategy differences

• Presentation Style

  • Be bold and polarizing - "It's okay if some people hate it as long as some people love it"
  • Save 15% of good news for the end as a "pot sweetener"
  • Use familiar anchors (like "Uber for X") to help investors understand scale

• Critical Advice

  • No pitch can save a bad business - fix the business first
  • Missing elements in the deck reveal business weaknesses
  • Focus on making the business better before raising money

Final Thoughts:

• End with clear call to action
• Include contact information
• Make it easy for interested investors to move forward