Andy Budd

This is exactly the reason I wrote this book.

Good design takes time. Preferably large blocks of time. Large blocks of time are increasingly rare these days. Especially when your calendar is fragmented by countless meetings. And your output is measured in sprints, points and tasks.

Modern update. "A computer can never be held accountable, so has increasingly been used to make management decisions."

Here's a quick outline of what I think a good pitch deck needs to address... 1. The tricky, meaningful problem you're solving. 2. Who you solve it for (your ICP) and why they care. 3. Why this is a big, valuable market worth pursuing. 4. Why now is the perfect time (market/tech trends driving the need). 5. An overview of what your product does. 6. An opinionated demo showing key points of difference. 7. Proof people love it (e.g., metrics, testimonials, early adoption). 8. How you’ll get it in customers’ hands and scale (GTM). 9. How you'll make money and grow. 10. Why you are going to win in this market (your moat). 11. Why your team has the expertise and drive to succeed. 12. What you're seeking (funding, partnerships, etc.) and why it’s a smart investment.

8 growth books to read in 2025

A lot of people reach out to me asking for feedback on their investment decks. I often find their decks confusing. Not really understanding what their product actually does, who it's for, what problem it solves, and whether that problem is meaningful.