Startup Pitch Deck as Businessplan

A business plan is an important document for every entrepreneur. It helps clarify where you are going. Many entrepreneurs I talk to have difficulty writing a good business plan. As an entrepreneur, I have always struggled with it. What should be in a business plan? What is the core? It takes too much time to make. People don't read it.

Since I started mentoring entrepreneurs, I have discovered a solution that works well. A pitch deck for investors appears to work well as a business plan. Such a pitch deck contains everything that should also be in a business plan. A pitch deck should always be short and concise. Writing a business plan as a pitch deck forces you to be to the point, but still contains everything that should be included. By completing the pitch deck it also forces you to make choices. You must formulate your vision clearly and draw up concrete plans for the coming period. With a good business plan you get all stakeholders on board for the route you take together. There are many templates available for pitch decks, but they usually consist of only 10 slides, making it a compact and well-organized document. So even if an organization is not looking for investors, I always try to create a first version of the business plan together with the entrepreneurs based on a pitch deck template.

The 10 slides of the pitch deck

The pitch deck consists of the following 10 slides:

1. Title: This is the title page of your pitch deck. Here you mention the name of your company. Here you can also try to formulate your vision and mission briefly and concisely in one or two sentences. Give this slide a wow factor that captures the imagination of what your company stands for. It should arouse curiosity and set the tone for the rest of the presentation.

2. Problem/Opportunity: In this slide you describe the problem or need that your company addresses. What is the specific problem that your product or service solves? Highlight the challenges of your target market. Create urgency and the need for a solution.

3. Value Proposition/Solution: In this slide you describe your company's unique value proposition, or your solution to the problem. How does your product or service offer a solution? Visualize the transformation you can bring. Keep it simple and understandable.

4. Underlying Magic: In this slide you describe the technology or process that your company uses to realize the value proposition, the magic behind your product. What makes it so unique? The less text and the more pictures, visuals and diagrams, the better.

5. Business Model: In this slide you describe how your company makes money. Discuss revenue streams, pricing models and margins. Show the viability of your business.

6. Go-to-Market Strategy: In this slide you describe how you will bring your product or service to your target group. How do you bring it to the attention of your potential customers? What is your growth engine?

7. Competitor Analysis: Who are your competitors? Be honest about how you are different. Show why your company is preferred. What are you the best at?

8. Organization: In this slide you describe the organizational structure and the roles of the most important people.

9. Finances and Key Metrics: Present a concise financial overview. Preferably with graphs. What are the Key Metrics: acquisition cost, activations, revenue, retention, referrals. Read more about how to decide what are the most important KPIs for your company.

10. The Milestones - Your Growth Path: Where are you now and where are you heading? Define important milestones. Focus on product development, revenue growth, user numbers, etc. Show how you have mapped out a strategic path for the coming period. Showcase some of the most important milestones from the past, where you are now and the most important steps for the coming period. Short term (next quarter), medium term (next year) and long term (next 3-5 years)

The pitch deck is a good way to present your company to potential investors, partners and employees. It is a compact and clear document that contains the most important information about your company.

Here are some tips for using the pitch deck:

Keep it short and concise. The pitch deck slides are intended to provide a summary of your company. Therefore, avoid unnecessary details.

1. Use clear and simple language. Your presentation must be understandable to a wide audience.

2. Use visuals. Visuals can help strengthen your message.

3. Self-contained. The document should be self-contained and should not require voice-over to understand it. Someone who sends you the document must be able to understand it immediately by reading it.

The pitch deck is a useful tool for entrepreneurs. It is a compact and clear document that contains the most important information about your company. If you use the pitch deck as a business plan, make sure you fill out the 10 slides with accurate and up-to-date information. It is a living document that you can update every quarter. It doesn't have to be perfect right away, but just start with a first version and ask for feedback. Over time it gets better and better. You learn a lot from it and it forces you to make some hard choices.

Here is a template you can use: