Angel Investors: How to Pitch Your Deck in 10 Slides

Examples:

– “Local gyms use our booking software to fill off‑peak classes without paid ads.”
– “Freelancers use our banking app to track invoices and taxes without spreadsheets.”

Short, practical, clear.

If you have a strong proof point, add a small line under it:

“2,700 paying users in 6 months” or “Repeat founder, last exit 4.2x in 3 years.”

You are not bragging. You are lowering their risk perception very fast.

How to Talk Through Slide 1

Keep it tight:

“Hi, I am Alex, founder of FitFlow. Local gyms use our booking software to fill off‑peak classes without paid ads. We launched 7 months ago and we are at $18k MRR in 32 gyms.”

Then you move on. Do not camp here.

Slide 2: Problem That Feels Real, Not Academic

If the problem feels weak, the rest of your deck fights uphill.

You need to answer:

– Who exactly has the problem?
– What do they do today?
– Why does that hurt in time, money, or risk?

Try to focus on one main problem. Two at most. Angels want a sharp wedge, not a blurry wish list.

Make the Problem Concrete

Replace generic lines like:

“Small businesses struggle with marketing.”

with something grounded:

“Independent gyms lose 20 to 35 percent of class spots each week, even when they have waitlists, because they lack tools to fill last‑minute gaps.”

You can use a simple structure on the slide:

– 1 sentence about who and what
– 1 or 2 short data points or quotes
– 1 visual (simple chart, calendar, screenshot of messy workaround)

If you can show the current workaround, you do not need to overexplain the pain.

Example on the slide:

“Owners manage bookings via spreadsheets and text messages, leading to no‑shows, double bookings, and empty spots.”

Then a small blurry screenshot of a messy spreadsheet with colored cells. That image says more than another paragraph.

When You Do Not Have Data Yet

If you are early, you might not have your own data. You can lean on:

– Industry reports
– Small surveys you ran
– Interviews (with count, for some weight)

For instance:

“From 37 gym owners we interviewed, 29 use spreadsheets and 24 said ‘no‑shows’ is a top 3 daily headache.”

The number of interviews does not look huge. That is fine. It looks honest.

Slide 3: Solution That Actually Matches the Problem

Investors see many decks where the solution does not match the problem. You say the problem is “owners waste time on manual work” and then you sell “AI marketing content.”

Your solution slide should feel like it snaps into the problem slide.

Describe the Product Like You Are Talking to a 12‑Year‑Old

Skip verbs like “reimagine” or “disrupt.” Use simple verbs.

Format:

– One headline sentence
– 3 short product benefits that track back to the problem
– 1 visual (screenshot, mockup, or simple diagram)

Example:

Headline: “An online booking and waitlist system that auto‑fills empty spots.”

Three lines:

– Members book and cancel classes from a simple app.
– The system auto‑fills spots from the waitlist based on rules you set.
– Owners see real‑time capacity and revenue per class.

Then a single screenshot of your product on a phone and laptop. Clean. No tiny text.

Your job is not to show every feature. Your job is to make the fix feel obvious.

How to Talk Through Slide 3

You do not read the bullets. You connect it to the previous slide:

“Earlier you saw gyms running bookings through spreadsheets and text messages. FitFlow replaces that with a simple app for members and a clean dashboard for owners. When someone cancels, the system pulls from the waitlist and fills the spot without owner effort.”

You are closing a loop in their head. That loop is more important than the visual polish.

Slide 4: Market That Is Big Enough, Yet Focused

Angel investors do not need a billion‑dollar TAM slide with a huge circle chart and no logic.

They need a story that answers:

– Is this group big enough?
– Are they reachable?
– Can you start narrow and expand?

TAM, SAM, SOM Without the Theater

You can keep it simple:

– TAM: total market spend that is somewhat connected to your space
– SAM: the share of that you can realistically sell to with your current product
– SOM: the piece you think you can capture in 3 to 5 years

Example:

“TAM: 210k gyms and studios worldwide, $32B spent on management tools and marketing.

SAM: 42k independent gyms in North America and Europe using digital booking tools.

SOM: 3k gyms, paying $400 per month each, for $14.4M ARR over 5 years.”

The slide can be three numbers with a short line under each. No need for over‑styled diagrams unless you like them.

The more believable your SOM, the better angels feel about your planning skills.

Show Your Beachhead

Angels like focus. They know you cannot win everyone on day one.

Add one small section on the slide or next to it:

“Starting niche: Independent strength and conditioning gyms in the US with 2 to 6 locations.”

Now they see a first target. It feels more real than “fitness.”

Slide 5: Product & Traction That Prove You Can Ship

This is where you earn trust. Angels want to see that you can build and that users do not hate what you built.

Even at idea stage, you should show something: prototype, pilot results, or early user feedback.

If You Have Launched

Show:

– The product in one or two simple visuals
– 3 or 4 key traction metrics
– One short customer story or quote

Metrics that work well:

– MRR or revenue
– Active users or accounts
– Growth over the last 3 to 6 months
– Retention or churn
– Engagement (sessions per user, per week)

Example:

“Traction:

– $18k MRR, 32 gyms live
– MRR up 26 percent month over month for the last 4 months
– 92 percent of classes managed in app (vs manual)
– 87 percent logo retention over 9 months”

Then a short quote:

“‘We cut no‑shows by 31 percent in 60 days.’ Owner, Forge Strength Gym”

Numbers do not need to be huge. They need to be clear and honest.

If You Are Pre‑Revenue or Pre‑Launch

Talk about:

– Product stage (prototype, alpha, beta)
– Number of pilots or signed LOIs
– Waitlist size
– Any proof of strong interest

Example:

“Product in private beta. 11 gyms signed for 3‑month pilot. 74 gyms on waitlist from 2 webinars and 1 industry conference.”

Then show 1 or 2 clickable screens or a short workflow diagram.

Angels often invest this early if they trust you and see movement, not just talk.

Slide 6: Business Model That a Non‑Tech Person Understands

This part of the pitch should pass what I call the “smart uncle” test. If your smart uncle who does real estate and knows nothing about software gets it in 60 seconds, you are on the right track.

Explain How You Make Money in Plain Terms

Common models:

– Subscription (monthly / yearly)
– Transaction fee
– Take rate on volume
– One‑time setup + support fee

Pick your main one. Then share 3 things:

– What you charge
– What an average customer pays per month / year
– Rough unit economics picture, even if early

Example slide:

“Revenue model:

– Gyms pay $249 to $649 per location per month, based on class volume.
– Current average is $560 per month per gym.
– Gross margin: 78 percent on software revenue.”

You can add one simple diagram with “Gym pays $560 / month. We handle bookings, waitlists, and member reminders.”

Do Not Overcomplicate Unit Economics

You do not need a full P&L on this slide. You do want to show you understand cost to serve.

For early stage, lines like:

“Average CAC from early tests: $420 per gym. Payback within 5 months at current ARPU.”

or

“Customer acquisition spend under $25 per active user from Meta and TikTok tests.”

are enough to show thinking.

Angels are not looking for perfect numbers. They are looking for founders who watch numbers.

If you do not know CAC yet, say where you think it will land, and how you will keep it there:

“Target CAC $500 per gym via direct outreach and referral deals. Payback in 6 months on mid‑tier plan.”

You might be wrong. That is fine. They care that you have a plan to learn.

Slide 7: Go‑To‑Market That Does Not Rely on Viral Magic

This slide often breaks pitches. Founders say:

“We will go viral through social media.”

or

“We will partner with big companies.”

Both lines create doubt, because they hide the work.

You want to show:

– Who you sell to
– Where they hang out
– What you do week to week to reach them

Describe Real Channels and Real Motions

Think in terms of simple steps.

Example for B2B:

“Primary motion: founder‑led outbound and referrals, then content.

– Identify gyms using ClassPass and similar apps in 10 US cities.
– Direct outreach: 200 targeted emails / week, 20 demos, 6 trials.
– Referral: 1 free month for each gym that refers another.
– Content: monthly case study webcasts with current gyms.”

If B2C:

“Acquisition motion:

– Short‑form content on TikTok and Instagram targeting ‘gym owners’ and ‘bootcamp owners.’
– Partnerships with 2 gym coaching programs.
– Lead magnets: ‘no‑show calculator’ on website, capturing leads.”

The more your plan sounds like boring, repeatable work, the more angels trust it.

Add Proof, Even If Small

You can anchor this slide with one or two early wins:

“From a 4‑email sequence to 120 gyms, we booked 17 demos and closed 4 pilots.”

This tells an angel you do not just have a theory. You already tried to sell.

Slide 8: Competition Where You Look Informed, Not Cocky

Angels know there is competition. If you say “no one else is doing this,” they assume you have not looked.

This slide should show:

– A few key players
– How they solve the problem today
– Your main edge or wedge

A Simple Honest Map Beats a Fancy 2×2

You can still use a 2×2 chart if you want, but do not rely only on shapes. Add short words.

Example structure:

“Existing options:

– Spreadsheets + SMS: free, high manual work, error‑prone.
– Generic booking tools: built for yoga / salon, weak for high‑intensity gyms.
– Enterprise gym software: heavy setup, too costly for 2‑location gyms.

Our approach:

– Focused on independent strength gyms.
– Simple rollout in under 1 week.
– Tools that push to fill no‑shows, not just track them.”

You do not need to beat everyone at everything. You need one sharp edge that matters to your target user.

Avoid lines like “we have no direct competition” or “we are 10x better.” Instead say:

“We compete mostly on ease of use and time to value, not on breadth of features.”

That sounds grounded.

Address Switching and Moats Lightly

If switching from current tools is a big deal, say how you cut the pain:

“Import from spreadsheets in one click. We migrate their last 90 days of bookings for them.”

You can also mention soft moats:

– Community
– Data over time
– Integrations that make you sticky

For example:

“As we grow, we become the default booking system for strength gyms, which gives us the best data on class fill rates and pricing. That data feeds recommendations they do not get from generic tools.”

You do not need to call it a moat. They will see it.

Slide 9: Team That Looks Built for This Problem

For angels, team often matters more than product at this stage. They know the product will change. They want to bet on people.

This slide answers:

– Why you?
– Why now for you?
– Who can you call when you get stuck?

Tell Short, Relevant Stories

Do not dump a wall of job titles. Pull out the one or two pieces that match the problem.

Example:

“Alex Lee, CEO: Former owner of 3 CrossFit gyms over 8 years. Scaled from 0 to 1,200 total members. Built first version of FitFlow to fix own no‑show issues.

Priya Shah, CTO: 7 years as senior engineer at Mindbody, led scheduling team. Built booking systems at scale.

Advisors: Ex‑VP Sales at XYZ Gym Software; founder of GymOwnersPro community.”

You are not selling your whole life. You are selling why your past gives you an unfair head start here.

If you are a solo founder, be honest and clear on gaps:

“Solo founder now. Strong in product and sales. Looking to add senior engineer and part‑time marketing lead over the next 6 months.”

Angels can often help you find these people. They just do not want to be surprised later.

Show Bias for Action

Include one small line on what you have shipped with this team:

“Built MVP and signed first 6 gyms in 4 months while both founders were still full‑time at previous roles.”

This signals pace and grit.

Slide 10: Financials & Ask That Leave No Confusion

This is where many founders get vague. They mumble “we are raising something like…” and angels lose interest.

You want clarity on:

– How much you are raising
– What you will use it for
– What that should get you to (in milestones, not only revenue)
– A simple forecast

Be Direct With the Ask

On the slide:

“Raising: $600k SAFE

Use of funds (18 months runway):

– 45 percent product & engineering
– 35 percent sales & marketing
– 20 percent founders, ops, legal

Key milestones by month 18:

– 220 gyms live, $130k MRR
– CAC payback under 5 months
– Net revenue retention 115 percent”

Angels want to see you treat their money like a tool, not a prize.

Do not be afraid to show how you spread spend over time if you have a simple plan. Many angels like to see you thought through the next year and a half.

Light Forecast, Heavy Logic

You do not need a complex multi‑sheet model in the deck.

You can show:

– MRR curve over 3 years (3 to 5 numbers on a line)
– Basic assumptions under it

Example:

“Forecast:

– Year 1: $20k MRR
– Year 2: $90k MRR
– Year 3: $260k MRR

Assumptions:

– Win 12 gyms / month from Q3 next year
– ARPU $600 / month
– Churn 2.5 percent monthly”

The numeric values might be off later. That is fine. The discipline lands well.

How to Present These 10 Slides So Angels Stay With You

The structure is only half of it. The way you speak through the slides matters just as much. Angels invest in your communication as much as in your product.

Keep a Clear Narrative Spine

Try this simple story spine:

1. There is a group of people with a clear problem.
2. That problem costs them time or money.
3. You learned this from your own life or direct contact.
4. You built something simple that fixes it.
5. Early users are already paying / engaging.
6. The group is large enough to build a sizable company.
7. You know how to reach them and what you will charge.
8. Competitors exist, but you picked a focused wedge.
9. Your team is built around this problem.
10. With this amount of capital, you will hit clear milestones.

Each slide ties back to this. If a slide does not serve this spine, less of it.

Use Slides as Support, Not as a Script

You will be tempted to read from the deck. That flattens your energy.

Instead:

– Use 3 to 5 bullets per slide, large font.
– One main visual per slide.
– Talk in your own words around it.

If you feel nervous, you can keep a cheat sheet of 1 to 2 key points per slide. Practice 3 to 5 times until the flow feels natural. You want to sound like you explaining your business to a friend, not giving a speech.

Time Yourself and Edit Hard

Most angel meetings give you 20 to 30 minutes. Your goal:

– 10 to 12 minutes for the pitch
– 15 to 20 minutes for questions and discussion

That means each slide gets around a minute. Some less, some a bit more.

Try a dry run and record yourself. If you cross 15 minutes before questions, cut words. Not slides. Words.

Clarity comes more from what you cut than from what you add.

You might notice you rush through your strongest slide because you spent too long on something else. Fix that.

Common Mistakes Angels Quietly Penalize

You rarely get this feedback straight. People are polite. They say “we are passing for now” or “it is not a fit.” Underneath, it is often one of these.

Too Much Future, Not Enough Present

Founders talk about where the company will be in 5 to 10 years and skip over what exists now.

Angels want to see:

– What you have actually built
– What you have actually done
– What you will actually do in the next 12 to 24 months

You can still share your bigger vision, but give it one short line, not a whole slide.

“Huge picture: become the default operating system for independent fitness spaces worldwide.”

Then get back to near‑term reality.

Hiding Weakness Instead of Framing It

Every early company has weak points:

– No technical founder
– No revenue yet
– High churn early
– Long build timeline

Do not hide them. Frame them.

“We started with generic gyms and had high churn. Once we shifted focus to strength gyms with 2 to 6 locations, retention improved to 87 percent. The raise funds more tests in this tighter niche.”

Angels read this as learning, not failure.

Deck Overload: Tiny Fonts, Busy Charts

You do not get extra points for data art. A 20‑line table on a slide is unreadable in a Zoom call.

Keep a separate “appendix deck” for deep charts and back‑of‑envelope models. Refer to them if an angel asks.

“Happy to walk through the full model after if you like. The headlines are on this slide.”

Adapting the 10 Slides for Different Angel Settings

You probably will not present the exact same way in every context. The core 10 slides stay, but the emphasis shifts.

Pitch Events or Demo Days

You often have 3 to 5 minutes and no Q&A right away. Here you:

– Compress each slide to its absolute core.
– Drop extra charts.
– Turn the talk into a clean arc: problem, story, solution, traction, ask.

You may even merge a few slides:

– Combine Problem + Solution.
– Combine Market + Competition.
– Combine Business Model + Financials + Ask.

You still keep the 10‑slide logic in your bigger email deck for follow‑up.

One‑on‑One Angel Meetings

You can slow down a bit and spend more time where the angel leans in.

One practical trick:

Ask at the start: “Would you prefer I run through the full deck in 10 minutes and then we discuss, or pause for questions along the way?”

This lets them pick their style. Some angels like to stop you on slide 2 and go very deep on the problem. Others want the full story first.

Your 10‑slide structure keeps you from wandering no matter what.

Cold Email Decks

If you send a deck cold, you have to assume they skim more than they listen.

Small adjustments:

– Add 1 line of “voiceover” text under each slide title, as if you are speaking.
– Make charts labeled more clearly.
– Add page numbers and your email on every slide footer.

Example line on slide 2:

“Gyms lose money on empty class spots because manual booking does not react fast enough.”

This line helps someone understand your thinking without hearing you.

How to Practice So You Sound Confident, Not Polished

You do not have to sound like a TED speaker. You do want to sound like you own your numbers and your story.

Run Reps With Safe People First

Start with:

– Other founders
– Friendly angels
– Mentors who will give blunt feedback

Ask them for three things only:

1. Where did you lose me?
2. Where did you oversell?
3. Where did you sound least sure?

Do not argue. Take notes. Patterns will show up, and that is where you tighten.

Build a Simple FAQ Sheet

Angels ask similar questions:

– “Why now?”
– “Why you?”
– “How will you get your next 100 customers?”
– “What does success look like in 5 years for you?”
– “What are you most worried about?”

Write short, honest answers. Practice saying them without reading. This does two things:

– You handle Q&A calmly.
– You refine your core beliefs about the business.

Many angel checks are won in Q&A, not in the main presentation.

When you answer with calm clarity, even on tough questions, your whole deck in their memory feels stronger.

Pulling It Together: Your 10‑Slide Angel Pitch Checklist

Before you send or present your deck, run through this quick checklist:

Content Checklist

– Slide 1: Can a stranger read the one‑liner and know what you do?
– Slide 2: Does the problem feel like money is on fire for someone?
– Slide 3: Does the solution clearly fix that fire, in simple language?
– Slide 4: Does the market story show a focused start and a real chance to grow?
– Slide 5: Do you show something real that exists, even if small?
– Slide 6: Can a non‑tech person repeat how you make money after one read?
– Slide 7: Does your go‑to‑market sound like weekly calendar tasks, not just buzzwords?
– Slide 8: Do you admit competition and show a real wedge?
– Slide 9: Does your story say why you are built to solve this problem?
– Slide 10: Is your ask crystal clear in amount, use, and milestones?

Design & Delivery Checklist

– One clear idea per slide.
– Big fonts that read on a laptop at arm’s length.
– One main visual (image or simple chart) per slide.
– 10 to 12 minutes spoken run‑time.
– You can give your pitch without looking at the slides more than briefly.

If you can say “yes” to most of these, you are ready to talk to angels. You will still get “no” far more than “yes,” but that is normal. A tight 10‑slide deck just makes sure they are saying “no” to the real you, not to a messy version of your story.