Why Investors Say No to Your Pitch Deck (And How to Fix It)

Our 150th episode is a big one. Kate sits down with Carl Fudge, Founder and CEO of Presentation Mode, who's helped startups raise over $1 billion in venture capital. Carl reveals why most pitch decks fall flat, the "why now" argument nearly every founder overlooks, and why logic alone isn’t enough to win investors over. Tune in to hear lessons from years spent helping founders get to “yes.”

Full show notes, transcript, and companion article: https://burklandassociates.com/podcasts/why-investors-say-no-to-your-pitch-deck-and-how-to-fix-it

Chapters
00:00 – Introduction to Carl Fudge & Presentation Mode
01:10 – Carl's Background: Psychology, McKinsey, IDEO & Catching the Startup Bug
02:58 – What Presentation Mode Actually Does
05:50 –  How They Help Founders Craft Compelling Pitches
07:50 – Why They Bring in a Trained Actor
11:35 – The Must-Have Components of Every Pitch Deck
13:44 – The "Why Now" Argument Most Founders Overlook
15:30 – Logic vs. Feeling: The Psychology of Investor Decisions
17:09 – The Mac vs. PC Lesson on Selling Features vs. Selling Feeling
19:19 – Less Is More: How Much Detail Should Be on a Slide
20:50 – Shifting the Power Dynamic With Investors
22:50 – Fundraising Advice for AI-Native Startups vs. Non-AI Startups
26:10 – Storytelling: More Than a Fundraising Tool

----Stay connected with our host, Kate Adams, on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateadams22

🔗 Learn more about Presentation Mode: https://www.presentationmode.co/