Does anyone really know? Looking back on all of the pitches I have heard many entrepreneurs certainly don’t and probably many investors don’t either. Is this a Mission Impossible?
Should you decide to accept this mission your first task is to have the investors take notice by presenting a succinct summary of what problem you are solving, why it is important to solve, that you can make money by solving it, and you (and your team) will execute. This needs to be done in the first few slides or it is truly a Mission Impossible! Notice I did not say anything about technology, science, or software. These are means to execute your business model and to protect from competition; not a reason for investment.
So you have captured the investors’ attention, now you have to give them more reasons to spend their valuable time in performing in depth study of your company. On this site as well as many others you will find what elements need to be addressed in a presentation (e.g. market size, projections, team, etc.). Before you get into those details your mission is to answer the following questions about the basis for your business proposition. You don’t necessarily need to present in this manner but by honestly answering you will be better prepared to assemble your presentation and face investors.
- Core competency: what is your company really good at, at a very basic level? This will help you keep the company focused on the appropriate market segments, determine how best to deal with competition, decide what business partners would be synergistic, and plan how to add customers.
- What is the problem you are fixing and why it is important to fix: Investors want to invest in great businesses that solve a problem or pain. The pain has to be great enough to make customers be willing to pay for your product and take risk in using a new, unproven vendor. The risk in changing to a new supplier with a new product is much more of a barrier than most entrepreneurs realize. To be successful you have to convince customers that not making the change has even more risk.
- How does your solution fix the problem, why your solution is unique, provides a high barrier to entry, and provides a path to future products: Obviously your solution has to work but investors are more interested in a business that has a solution that is innovative and difficult for competitors to replicate or supplement. Patents will help but a ‘secret sauce’ that only your business can produce is great. Investors want to invest in a business that has an exceptional growth potential so a roadmap full of products is great while you maintain focus near term.
- Why you will provide a great return for investors: This is a widely encompassing question that not only covers the usual margins, future value, market size etc. but also, to what can be an early deal killer, the team. Does the team have passion for the business? Have they done it before: start up experience; market experience; intimate contact with potential customers, partners, and suppliers; past successful execution of business plans and a great dynamic among the team.
Think through these questions with your team and come up with honest answers. Now you will be equipped to develop a great presentation and be prepared for the questions that investors will ask. You will accomplish Mission Impossible!
