Let’s be honest—building a pitch deck is already tough. You’ve got 10–15 slides to sell your company, communicate your vision, and convince someone to fund your future. So the idea that you also need to be part storyteller and part data analyst? It can feel like a lot. And somewhere along the way, many founders get stuck between two approaches:
Should I lead with a compelling story or just show them the numbers?
The truth is, it’s not either/or.
The best pitch decks do both. They tell a clear, compelling story and back it up with data that gives investors confidence. That’s the balance that makes your deck not just interesting—but investable.
Here’s how to strike that balance:
1. Start with the story—but don’t stop there
Your story is how you connect. It helps investors understand why your startup exists, what unique insight you’ve discovered, and why this moment is the right time to build what you’re building. But even the most powerful story needs support. Without proof, it’s just talk. That’s why your story needs to create context—and then hand it over to the data to confirm what you’re saying is real.
Think of the story as your pitch’s heartbeat. It sets the tone and gets attention. But it won’t close the deal alone.
2. Use data to build trust, not just to impress
A lot of founders include data that sounds great but lacks context—or worse, feels too polished to be real. But data’s role isn’t to make your deck look good. It’s to show investors that you’re serious, you understand your business, and you’re measuring what matters.
For example:
Don’t say “We’re growing fast.”
Say “Our monthly revenue has grown from $8K to $32K in the last 4 months.”
That kind of specificity builds trust. You’re not trying to hype—it’s just the facts. And facts speak volumes when you’re asking someone to write a check.
3. Match your metrics to your stage
Every founder wants to look impressive—but using the wrong metrics at the wrong stage does more harm than good. Investors don’t expect a pre-seed startup to have polished revenue models or perfect retention. But they do expect you to show signs of real demand and a path to something meaningful.
Here’s a quick guide:
Pre-Seed:
- Waitlists
- User interviews
- Pre-orders or pilots
- Letters of intent (LOIs)
- Early engagement
Seed:
- Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR)
- Customer growth
- Churn / retention
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
- Conversion rates
Series A and beyond:
- Burn multiple
- LTV / CAC ratio
- Sales pipeline
- Net Revenue Retention
- ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)
Investors at each stage are looking for different signals. Focus on what’s real for your business, not what looks good on a slide.
4. Don’t bury the numbers
We see it all the time—founders add important data into tiny fonts, overcomplicated graphs, or dense text boxes. That’s a missed opportunity.
If your numbers are strong, let them breathe. Make them visual. Let an investor understand what they’re looking at with a quick glance. Highlight growth curves, pull out KPIs, and use charts only when they actually clarify something.
Remember: they’re not reading—they’re scanning. Make it easy for your key metrics to pop.
5. Weave your numbers into your story
Your traction slide shouldn’t be the only place data shows up. The best decks let data support the narrative throughout.
If you’re talking about your go-to-market strategy, show early CAC or acquisition results.
If you’re describing the problem, show how many people experience it—and how much it costs them.
If you’re sharing your product vision, include your current NPS or retention rate to show it’s landing.
Don’t just put your metrics at the end—bake them into the story. That’s what makes them powerful.
6. Let story and data work together, not compete
It’s not about picking one over the other. Your story brings people in. Your data gets them to stay.
Vision without proof feels fluffy. Data without a story feels cold.
But the right balance? That makes you memorable. It shows you’re not just a visionary—you’re someone who can execute.
That’s the kind of founder investors want to back.
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Building a strong pitch deck isn’t about cramming everything in or trying to sound impressive. It’s about being clear. But sometimes the hardest part of building your deck is knowing where to start.
What should go on each slide? What do investors expect to see—and what can you leave out?
That’s why we have curated a set of free pitch deck templates, built specifically for founders at different stages. Whether you're prepping for your first raise or tightening up your series deck, these templates help you focus on what matters most. Download the templates here.
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