AI is all over the place, and predictably, gross sales groups are among the many early adopters. So I wasn’t shocked to see Scalestack increase $1 million to assist make gross sales groups’ lives simpler.
So, as we’ve performed each week for the previous 18 months or so (I can’t consider that is going to be the seventy fifth pitch deck teardown!), we’re going to place the deck Scalestack used to boost its spherical below the proverbial microscope and see what it received proper and the place it may have performed higher.
Let’s go!
We’re in search of extra distinctive pitch decks to tear down, so if you wish to submit your individual, right here’s how you are able to do that.
Slides on this deck
Scalestack closed its $1 million spherical with an 18-slide deck. The corporate left all of the slides in, however redacted some income figures and MongoDB’s ROI from its product:
- Cowl slide
- Group slide
- Abstract/traction slide
- Downside slide
- Downside influence slide 1
- Downside influence slide 2
- Downside influence slide 3
- Resolution slide
- Traction slide
- Buyer story slide 1
- Buyer story slide 2
- The way it works slide
- Product slide
- Market slide
- Competitors slide
- Positioning slide
- Why now slide
- Closing slide
Three issues to like
Over the previous couple of months, I’ve been experimenting with constructing an AI-powered deck overview software. It gave this deck solely a 67% probability of elevating cash (you’ll be able to see the complete report right here). In fact, Scalestack did increase cash, and it did a bunch of issues extraordinarily nicely, which exhibits that AI has a protracted solution to go.
Taking a better take a look at Scalestack’s deck, I’m not shocked the corporate raised cash. It has three large issues going for it: a killer group, spectacular traction, and a buyer testimonial to die for.
An excellent group
An organization’s group is its coronary heart and soul. Within the early days of a startup, when there may not be a considerable observe file or intensive monetary knowledge, the group’s background and capabilities will be one of the vital persuasive elements of your pitch.
It’s important to current your group successfully and showcase why they’re the fitting individuals to carry the enterprise to success. That’s what Scalestack received proper, and it cleverly begins the story with a group slide.
[Side 2] It’s superior to see this firm come out the gate unapologetically. Picture Credit: Scalestack
You already know what traders love? Founders with confirmed observe information. This slide exhibits that its group is well-connected within the startup world and has operational expertise in addition.
I’d have beloved to see hyperlinks to the founders’ LinkedIn profiles as nicely, however this works fantastically nonetheless.
Lengthy-time readers may discover that this slide is lacking one thing I usually argue for on group slides: Founder-market match. Nothing in these biographies screams “gross sales” or “AI” to me, so why am I so keen about this firm? Properly, that’s as a result of it doesn’t matter once you click on by means of to the following slide:
Traction for dayyyyssss
Your startup’s group is essential, however traction will make up for all of the sins you’ll be able to think about. It is smart, then, that after a group slide that good, Scalestack follows up with a traction victory lap. The precise knowledge is redacted, however you get the image.
[Slide 3] Hyper progress exhibits the beginnings of product-market match. Picture Credit: Scalestack
Even with redacted numbers, this slide tells a hell of a narrative: Marquee clients, rising ARR and a powerful pipeline. That checks lots of packing containers. The group will in all probability have been capable of increase cash with simply these two slides, which is why I don’t give them that onerous of a time for lacking some essential components. Would it not have been higher to incorporate all the info traders can be in search of? Positive, however you probably have traction and a stable group, you’re 90% of the way in which there.
If you happen to’re elevating cash, take a tough take a look at these two slides. That’s what you’re up towards, even for an organization elevating “solely” $1 million. Does your organization appear to be that? If not, are you able to inform a narrative that has the same chorus?
And in case you can, will you be capable to finish the story with one thing this highly effective?
A hell of a buyer testimonial
Let’s get one thing straight: Buyer testimonials are, by and huge, vainness metrics that don’t inform the story by themselves. Nevertheless, they will make for highly effective narrative components.
[Slide 11] This isn’t a testimonial as a lot as a “We made ourselves indispensable” slide. Completely baller. Picture Credit: Scalestack
You’d higher consider that if I have been main an funding in Scalestack, I’d wish to have a chat with Mr. Underhill. If he’s simply as keen about this firm on the reference name as nicely, it’d go a protracted solution to convincing me to speculate.
Is all of it excellent, although? Properly, no. Objectively, this isn’t an excellent pitch deck, as a result of it’s lacking some main components of the pitch. So in the remainder of this teardown, we’ll take a look at three issues Scalestack may have improved or performed in another way, together with its full pitch deck!