pitch-deck-creator

name	pitch-deck-creator
description	Investor pitch deck design and content creation using Sequoia format, Guy Kawasaki 10/20/30 rule, slide-by-slide storytelling, and investor Q&A preparation. Use when the user asks about pitch deck creator or needs help with related topics. Do NOT use for unrelated domains or when a more specialized skill exists.
license	Apache-2.0
metadata	{"author":"foundry-skills","version":"1.0.0","tags":"entrepreneurship presentation strategy","category":"business-strategy","subcategory":"entrepreneurship","depends":"","disclaimer":"none","difficulty":"intermediate"}

Pitch Deck Creator

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• The user wants to design a pitch deck using the Sequoia format or Guy Kawasaki 10/20/30 rule
• The user needs slide-by-slide content creation with storytelling structure for investor presentations
• The user wants investor Q&A preparation or pitch rehearsal frameworks
• The user is creating their first pitch deck and needs a proven template and process

Do NOT use this skill when:

• The user needs advanced pitch narrative architecture and deck versioning (use pitch-deck-builder instead)
• The user wants a full business plan rather than a pitch deck (use business-planner instead)
• The user is preparing for a non-investor presentation or keynote

Process

1. Gather requirements. Ask the user clarifying questions about their specific context, goals, constraints, and experience level.

2. Analyze the situation. Review the information provided and identify key factors, challenges, and opportunities relevant to pitch deck creator.

3. Develop the framework. Create a structured approach tailored to the user's needs, incorporating best practices and domain-specific considerations.

4. Deliver actionable output. Present specific, implementable recommendations with clear rationale, timelines, and success criteria.

5. Address edge cases. Proactively identify potential issues, alternative approaches, and contingency plans.

Use this skill when:

• User needs guidance on pitch deck creator
• User asks about pitch deck creator best practices or techniques
• User wants a structured approach to pitch deck creator

Do NOT use this skill when:

• A more specialized skill exists for the specific subtopic
• The request is outside the scope of pitch deck creator

Questions to Ask the User First

1. What is your company and what do you do? (One sentence)
2. What stage are you at? (Pre-seed / Seed / Series A / Series B+)
3. How much are you raising?
4. Who is your audience? (Angels, VCs, accelerator, competition judges, corporate partners)
5. What is your strongest asset? (Traction, team, technology, market timing)
6. Do you have existing traction metrics? (Revenue, users, growth rate)
7. What is your unfair advantage? (IP, network effects, regulatory moat, team expertise)
8. What format do you need? (Live presentation, email deck, one-pager supplement)
9. Do you have a demo to integrate?
10. How much time do you have for the pitch? (3 min, 5 min, 10 min, 20 min)

---

Core Frameworks

The Sequoia Capital Format (Gold Standard)

The Sequoia format consists of these slides in this order:

1. Title Slide -- Company name, tagline, presenter name
2. Problem -- What pain exists today
3. Solution -- How you solve it
4. Why Now -- Why this moment in time
5. Market Size -- TAM / SAM / SOM
6. Product -- How it works (demo or screenshots)
7. Business Model -- How you make money
8. Traction -- Proof it is working
9. Team -- Why this team wins
10. Competition -- How you are different
11. Financials -- Projections and unit economics
12. The Ask -- How much, what for, what milestones

Guy Kawasaki's 10/20/30 Rule

• 10 slides maximum
• 20 minutes maximum for the presentation
• 30 point font minimum (forces clarity and conciseness)

Adapt the Sequoia format to 10 slides by combining related content.

Step 1: Narrative Arc Design

Every great pitch tells a story. Choose your narrative structure:

Structure A: Problem-First (Most Common)

The world has problem X.
Current solutions fail because Y.
We built Z, which solves it by doing W.
Here is proof it works.
Here is how big this can be.
Here is our team.
Here is what we need from you.

Structure B: Vision-First (Big Market Plays)

Imagine a world where X is possible.
Today, that world does not exist because Y.
We are building the bridge from here to there.
Here is how it works.
Here is early evidence.
Here is the massive market.
Here is our team and what we need.

Structure C: Traction-First (Growth Stage)

We are growing at X% month over month.
Here is what we built and why customers love it.
Here is the market we are capturing.
Here is our business model and unit economics.
Here is where we are going.
Here is what we need to get there faster.

---

Step 2: Slide-by-Slide Guide

Slide 1: Title

TITLE SLIDE

Company Name: {{company_name}}
Tagline: {{one_line_description}} (max 10 words)
Presenter: {{name}}, {{title}}
Contact: {{email}}
Date: {{presentation_date}}

Design notes:
- Logo prominently displayed
- Clean, uncluttered
- Tagline should be memorable and specific
- No paragraph text

BAD tagline: "Revolutionizing the future of communication"
GOOD tagline: "Slack for construction teams"

Slide 2: Problem

PROBLEM SLIDE
The Problem Statement:
{{One clear sentence describing the problem}}
Evidence the problem is real:
- Stat 1: {{data_point_with_source}}
- Stat 2: {{data_point_with_source}}
- Stat 3: {{data_point_with_source}}
Who feels this pain:
{{Specific description of the person suffering}}
Current alternatives and why they fail:
1. {{Alternative 1}}: Fails because {{reason}}
2. {{Alternative 2}}: Fails because {{reason}}
Design notes:
- Use an emotional hook or story
- Make the investor FEEL the problem
- Maximum 3-4 bullet points
- One strong visual or statistic

Slide 3: Solution

SOLUTION SLIDE

Our Solution:
{{Company_name}} is a {{category}} that {{what_it_does}} for {{who}}.

Key Value Delivered:
1. {{benefit_1}} -- {{supporting_detail}}
2. {{benefit_2}} -- {{supporting_detail}}
3. {{benefit_3}} -- {{supporting_detail}}

Design notes:
- Show, don't tell (screenshot, diagram, or product image)
- Connect directly to the problem slide
- Avoid jargon and technical details
- The investor should understand this in 5 seconds

Slide 4: Why Now

WHY NOW SLIDE
This is the right time because:
Market shift: {{macro_trend_enabling_this}}
Technology shift: {{new_tech_that_makes_this_possible}}
Regulatory shift: {{policy_change_creating_opportunity}}
Behavioral shift: {{consumer_behavior_change}}
Timeline of enabling events:
  {{year_1}}: {{event_1}}
  {{year_2}}: {{event_2}}
  {{year_3}}: {{event_3}}
  NOW: {{why_this_moment}}
Design notes:
- This slide separates good pitches from great ones
- Investors need to understand urgency
- Use a timeline visual if possible

Slide 5: Market Size

MARKET SIZE SLIDE

TAM: ${{tam}} -- {{tam_description}}
SAM: ${{sam}} -- {{sam_description}}
SOM: ${{som}} -- {{som_description}} (Year 1-3 target)

Market growth rate: {{cagr}}% CAGR
Source: {{credible_source}}

Design notes:
- Use concentric circles or funnel visualization
- Bottom-up math is more credible than top-down
- Show your work: "X customers * $Y/year = $Z"
- Avoid "if we get just 1% of the market" arguments
- Cite credible third-party sources

Slide 6: Product / Demo

PRODUCT SLIDE
Option A: Screenshots with callouts
  - Screen 1: {{core_workflow_step_1}}
  - Screen 2: {{core_workflow_step_2}}
  - Screen 3: {{core_workflow_step_3}}
Option B: Live Demo (for in-person pitches)
  Demo script:
  1. Start with: {{user_scenario}}
  2. Show: {{key_feature_1}} (30 seconds)
  3. Show: {{key_feature_2}} (30 seconds)
  4. End with: {{wow_moment}}
  Total demo time: 90 seconds max
Option C: Architecture Diagram (for deep-tech)
  - Simplified system overview
  - Highlight proprietary components
  - Show data flow
Design notes:
- Never show more than 3 screens
- Annotate screenshots with arrows/callouts
- Demo should work offline (record backup video)
- Practice demo 10+ times to ensure smoothness

Slide 7: Business Model

BUSINESS MODEL SLIDE
Revenue Model: {{model_type}}
Pricing Structure:
  {{tier_1}}: ${{price_1}}/{{period}} -- {{what_is_included}}
  {{tier_2}}: ${{price_2}}/{{period}} -- {{what_is_included}}
  {{tier_3}}: ${{price_3}}/{{period}} -- {{what_is_included}}
Unit Economics:
  Average Contract Value (ACV): ${{acv}}
  Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): ${{cac}}
  Lifetime Value (LTV): ${{ltv}}
  LTV:CAC Ratio: {{ratio}}:1
  Payback Period: {{months}} months
  Gross Margin: {{gm}}%
Design notes:
- Simple table or diagram
- Highlight LTV:CAC ratio (investors love 3:1+)
- Show path to improving unit economics at scale

Slide 8: Traction

TRACTION SLIDE
Choose the strongest metrics to display:
Revenue Traction:
  MRR: ${{mrr}} ({{growth_rate}}% MoM growth)
  ARR: ${{arr}}
  Revenue growth chart: [Up and to the right]
User Traction:
  Total users: {{users}}
  Active users: {{active}}
  Growth rate: {{rate}}% MoM
Engagement Traction:
  Retention: {{retention}}% at {{timeframe}}
  NPS: {{nps_score}}
  Usage frequency: {{frequency}}
Partnership Traction:
  Key partners: {{partner_1}}, {{partner_2}}
  LOIs/Contracts: {{number}} signed
Design notes:
- THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SLIDE for funded companies
- Use a graph showing growth over time
- "Up and to the right" is the goal
- If pre-revenue, show engagement or waitlist metrics
- Cohort retention charts are very compelling

Slide 9: Team

TEAM SLIDE
{{Founder 1 Name}} -- {{Title}}
  {{Relevant achievement or credential}}
  Previously: {{company/role}}
{{Founder 2 Name}} -- {{Title}}
  {{Relevant achievement or credential}}
  Previously: {{company/role}}
Key Hires / Advisors:
  {{Name}} -- {{Role/Expertise}} (Advisor to {{notable_company}})
Why this team wins:
{{One sentence on founder-market fit}}
Design notes:
- Professional headshots
- Show logos of previous companies (brand recognition)
- Highlight domain expertise relevant to THIS business
- Include notable advisors/investors if applicable
- Founder-market fit narrative is critical

Slide 10: Competition

COMPETITION SLIDE
Competitive Positioning Matrix:
  Axis X: {{dimension_1}} (e.g., ease of use)
  Axis Y: {{dimension_2}} (e.g., feature completeness)
  Top-right (you): High {{X}}, High {{Y}}
  Competitors plotted in other quadrants.
Key Differentiators:
1. {{differentiator_1}}: Why competitors cannot easily replicate
2. {{differentiator_2}}: Your defensible moat
3. {{differentiator_3}}: Your unique insight
Design notes:
- NEVER say "we have no competitors"
- Position yourself on axes where you clearly win
- Acknowledge competitors but show clear differentiation
- Avoid feature-comparison tables (they invite nitpicking)

Slide 11: Financials

FINANCIALS SLIDE
Revenue Projections:
  Year 1: ${{y1}}
  Year 2: ${{y2}}
  Year 3: ${{y3}}
Key Assumptions:
  - Customer growth: {{assumption_1}}
  - Pricing: {{assumption_2}}
  - Churn: {{assumption_3}}
Path to Profitability:
  Break-even expected: {{quarter/year}}
  Gross margin at scale: {{gm}}%
Design notes:
- Show a simple bar chart of revenue projections
- State your assumptions clearly
- 3-year projections (5-year is fiction for startups)
- Be prepared to defend every number in Q&A
- Conservative > Aggressive for credibility

Slide 12: The Ask

THE ASK SLIDE
Raising: ${{amount}} {{instrument_type}}
Use of Funds:
  {{percent_1}}% -- {{category_1}} ({{detail}})
  {{percent_2}}% -- {{category_2}} ({{detail}})
  {{percent_3}}% -- {{category_3}} ({{detail}})
Milestones This Enables:
  1. {{milestone_1}} (by {{date_1}})
  2. {{milestone_2}} (by {{date_2}})
  3. {{milestone_3}} (by {{date_3}})
Runway: {{months}} months
Current Round Status:
  {{committed/interested investors if any}}
Design notes:
- Be specific about the amount
- Tie funds to measurable milestones
- Show what the NEXT fundraise will look like
- If you have committed investors, mention them
- End with contact information

---

Step 3: Design Principles

Visual Consistency Rules

DESIGN CHECKLIST:
- [ ] Consistent color palette (2-3 brand colors max)
- [ ] One font family (weight variations for hierarchy)
- [ ] Minimum 30pt font for body text
- [ ] Maximum 6 lines of text per slide
- [ ] Maximum 6 words per line
- [ ] One key idea per slide
- [ ] High-contrast text (dark on light or light on dark)
- [ ] No clip art or generic stock photos
- [ ] Slide numbers on every slide
- [ ] Company logo on every slide (small, corner)
- [ ] White space is your friend

Slide Layout Patterns

LAYOUT 1: Big Statement
  [One powerful sentence centered]
  [Supporting stat or image below]
LAYOUT 2: Left/Right Split
  [Visual on left | Text on right]
  Good for: Product screenshots, team photos
LAYOUT 3: Three Columns
  [Point 1 | Point 2 | Point 3]
  Good for: Features, team, metrics
LAYOUT 4: Full-Bleed Image
  [Image fills slide, text overlay]
  Good for: Emotional impact, vision slides

LAYOUT 5: Chart + Annotation
  [Graph/chart with one callout annotation]
  Good for: Traction, market size, financials

---

Step 4: Investor Q&A Preparation

Most Common Investor Questions (Prepare Answers)

Market & Problem:

1. How do you know this is a real problem?
2. How big is this market, really?
3. What happens if a big player enters this space?

Product & Technology: 4. What is your technical moat? 5. How hard is this to build? What is the defensibility? 6. What is your IP strategy?

Business Model: 7. How did you arrive at your pricing? 8. What are your unit economics? 9. How does this scale?

Traction & Growth: 10. What is your growth rate? 11. What is your customer acquisition strategy? 12. What does retention look like?

Team: 13. Why are you the right team to build this? 14. What key hires do you need? 15. Have the founders worked together before?

Financials & Fundraising: 16. What are your assumptions behind the projections? 17. When do you expect to be profitable? 18. What is your burn rate? 19. Who else is investing in this round? 20. What happens if you cannot raise the full amount?

Answer Framework

For each question, prepare a response using this structure:

QUESTION: {{question}}

DIRECT ANSWER: {{1-2 sentence direct answer}}

SUPPORTING EVIDENCE: {{Data point or example}}

BRIDGE BACK: {{Connect to a strength of your business}}

---

Step 5: Pitch Timing Guide

3-Minute Pitch (Elevator / Competition)

• Problem: 30 sec
• Solution: 30 sec
• Market: 20 sec
• Traction: 30 sec
• Team: 20 sec
• Ask: 20 sec
• Buffer: 10 sec

5-Minute Pitch (Angel / Demo Day)

• Problem: 45 sec
• Solution: 45 sec
• Demo: 60 sec
• Market: 30 sec
• Business Model: 30 sec
• Traction: 45 sec
• Team: 20 sec
• Ask: 25 sec

10-Minute Pitch (VC Meeting Opener)

• Problem: 90 sec
• Solution: 60 sec
• Why Now: 45 sec
• Demo: 90 sec
• Market: 45 sec
• Business Model: 45 sec
• Traction: 60 sec
• Competition: 30 sec
• Team: 30 sec
• Financials: 30 sec
• Ask: 45 sec

---

Email Deck vs. Presentation Deck

Differences

Aspect	Email Deck	Presentation Deck
Text density	More text (must stand alone)	Minimal text (you narrate)
Slide count	12-15 slides	10-12 slides
Design	Information-focused	Impact-focused
Appendix	Include detailed appendix	Keep appendix separate
Demo	Screenshots with captions	Live demo or video

Email Deck Appendix Slides

Include these additional slides in email/send-ahead decks:

1. Detailed financial model summary
2. Customer case studies or testimonials
3. Product roadmap
4. Detailed competitive analysis
5. Key assumptions and sensitivity analysis
6. Cap table summary (if appropriate)
7. Technical architecture (if deep-tech)

---

Output Checklist

• Narrative arc is coherent from slide 1 to final slide
• Problem is validated with data or customer evidence
• Solution connects directly to the stated problem
• Market size uses bottom-up methodology
• Traction metrics are honest and verifiable
• Financial projections have clearly stated assumptions
• The ask is specific with clear use of funds
• Design follows 10/20/30 rule
• Investor Q&A answers are prepared for top 20 questions
• Deck has been reviewed by at least one outside perspective

Output Format

Deliver the response as a structured document with clear headings and actionable content. Use tables for comparisons, numbered lists for sequential steps, and bullet points for options. Include specific examples where applicable.

[Pitch Deck Creator deliverable]
1. Context and objectives
2. Analysis or framework
3. Specific recommendations with rationale
4. Action items with timeline

Example

Input: "Help me with pitch deck creator for a mid-size project."

Output: A complete pitch deck creator framework tailored to the specific context, with actionable steps, relevant considerations, and measurable outcomes.

Edge Cases

• Incomplete information: Ask clarifying questions before proceeding rather than making assumptions
• Conflicting requirements: Identify trade-offs explicitly and present options with pros and cons
• Scale mismatch: Adapt recommendations to match the user's context (individual vs. team vs. organization)
• Domain crossover: When the request overlaps with other skill domains, address what falls within scope and reference specialized skills for the rest