{"id":18407,"date":"2020-07-13T14:50:55","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T21:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/?p=18407"},"modified":"2020-08-14T02:30:15","modified_gmt":"2020-08-14T09:30:15","slug":"presenting-to-vcs-and-angel-investors-with-nancy-hayes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/presenting-to-vcs-and-angel-investors-with-nancy-hayes\/","title":{"rendered":"Presenting to VCs and Angel Investors with Nancy Hayes"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Angel investor and management consultant Nancy Hayes shares her formula for a compelling presentation, including pitch deck tips, common pitfalls to avoid, and insights on how you\u2019ll be evaluated.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For any startup founder, one of the most important skills to master is the art of the pitch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good presentation can unlock deals and many other opportunities. And yet presentation skills are rarely intuitive: A good pitch requires time, knowledge and feedback to master.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/nancyhayes2\/\">Nancy Hayes<\/a>, principal at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/nkh-group\/\">NKH Group<\/a>, is a management consultant, executive coach and angel investor who also held executive roles at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ibm\/\">IBM<\/a>, at nonprofits, and in higher education. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eventbrite.com\/e\/developing-your-pitch-deck-and-presenting-to-investors-tickets-110713069772\">Register<\/a> at <a href=\"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/\">Founders Network<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Nancy\u2019s full webinar on presenting to angel investors and venture capitalists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Join Nancy for actionable advice on:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Crafting Your Presentation<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tailoring Your Pitch<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Building the Perfect Deck<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Making \u201cthe Ask\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How You\u2019ll Be Graded<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span class='bctt-click-to-tweet'><span class='bctt-ctt-text'><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CInvestors%20want%20to%20see%20a%20CEO%20that%20they%20can%20envision%20being%20the%20CEO%20of%20the%20company%20as%20it%20grows%2C%20and%20attracting%20a%20team%20that%20will%20be%20successful%20in%20meeting%20the%20goals%20of%20the%20company.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cInvestors want to see a CEO that they can envision being the CEO of the company as it grows, and attracting a team that will be successful in meeting the goals of the company.\u201d - @nancyhayes <\/a><\/span><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CInvestors%20want%20to%20see%20a%20CEO%20that%20they%20can%20envision%20being%20the%20CEO%20of%20the%20company%20as%20it%20grows%2C%20and%20attracting%20a%20team%20that%20will%20be%20successful%20in%20meeting%20the%20goals%20of%20the%20company.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank' class='bctt-ctt-btn'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n<h4><strong>The CEO of the company<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Venture capitalists and angel investors want to see someone they can envision being the CEO of the company as it grows, attracting a team that will be successful in meeting the goals of the company, and someone that we can picture being at meetings with for the next seven to 10 years, responding to challenges in the environment. \u201cIn fact, most studies of investors have shown that the number one deciding criteria, although there are many important things, is the team and the CEO,\u201d Hayes explains.<\/span><\/p>\n<span class='bctt-click-to-tweet'><span class='bctt-ctt-text'><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CMost%20studies%20of%20investors%20have%20shown%20that%20the%20number%20one%20deciding%20criteria%2C%20although%20there%20are%20many%20important%20things%2C%20is%20the%20team%20and%20the%20CEO.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cMost studies of investors have shown that the number one deciding criteria, although there are many important things, is the team and the CEO.\u201d - @nancyhayes <\/a><\/span><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CMost%20studies%20of%20investors%20have%20shown%20that%20the%20number%20one%20deciding%20criteria%2C%20although%20there%20are%20many%20important%20things%2C%20is%20the%20team%20and%20the%20CEO.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank' class='bctt-ctt-btn'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Projecting confidence and an exciting vision for your startup is only one part of the equation. When pitching to angel investors or venture capitalists, it\u2019s critical to understand your audience. There are notable distinctions between the two sets of investors, how their funds work, and what types of startups they tend to be interested in. And startup founders need to tailor their presentations to the environment: a timed meeting to a busy investor, versus a one-on-one meeting, will have distinct limitations and demands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA common mistake is forgetting that the investor is not a potential customer, but is investing in a company,\u201d Hayes says. &#8220;Investors are evaluating the risk-reward profile of an investment, not necessarily the specific features of your product,&#8221; Hayes adds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<span class='bctt-click-to-tweet'><span class='bctt-ctt-text'><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CA%20common%20mistake%20is%20forgetting%20that%20the%20investor%20is%20not%20a%20potential%20customer%2C%20but%20is%20investing%20in%20a%20company.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cA common mistake is forgetting that the investor is not a potential customer, but is investing in a company.\u201d - @nancyhayes <\/a><\/span><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CA%20common%20mistake%20is%20forgetting%20that%20the%20investor%20is%20not%20a%20potential%20customer%2C%20but%20is%20investing%20in%20a%20company.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank' class='bctt-ctt-btn'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n<h4><strong>The pitch deck<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then there\u2019s the pitch deck. Successful pitch decks will contain a few essential elements that reflect what investors are looking for, according to Hayes, and outline your business plan: Your team, the opportunity you\u2019re pursuing, your product and how it fits into the market, traction to date, revenue model, etc. Nancy shares her formula with <a href=\"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/\">Founders Network<\/a>, as well as pitfalls to avoid, such as relying on too much dense text to get your message across.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Startup founders should also be aware of how they\u2019re being evaluated. Investors are likely to score presenters on a range of criteria that reflect the content of the pitch, the soundness of your product and strategy, and how well you\u2019re likely to execute your\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">business plan. Ultimately, investors are evaluating the potential to get a sizable return on their investments &#8212; another reason why confidence, preparation, and knowing what your audience wants are so important.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Revenue-based financing<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For some startups, revenue-based financing can be a great way to fund your growth without giving up any ownership of your business or establishing a long-term relationship with an investor. This works best for companies that already have some revenue, but won\u2019t necessarily grow to the scale that a venture capitalist might expect. Revenue-based financing is commonly pursued by enterprise software startups, or companies with a social mission that will generate some revenue, but not enough to get the attention of many investors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<span class='bctt-click-to-tweet'><span class='bctt-ctt-text'><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CRevenue-based%20financing%20is%20a%20way%20of%20getting%20financing%20that%20does%20not%20result%20in%20permanent%20ownership%20transfer%20of%20the%20company%2C%20and%20it%20works%20best%20for%20companies%20that%20have%20a%20potential%20to%20grow%20and%20be%20profitable.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u201cRevenue-based financing is a way of getting financing that does not result in permanent ownership transfer of the company, and it works best for companies that have a potential to grow and be profitable.\u201d - @nancyhayes <\/a><\/span><a href='https:\/\/x.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoundersnetwork.com%2F%3Fp%3D18407&#038;text=%E2%80%9CRevenue-based%20financing%20is%20a%20way%20of%20getting%20financing%20that%20does%20not%20result%20in%20permanent%20ownership%20transfer%20of%20the%20company%2C%20and%20it%20works%20best%20for%20companies%20that%20have%20a%20potential%20to%20grow%20and%20be%20profitable.%E2%80%9D%20-%20%40nancyhayes&#038;via=foundersnetwork&#038;related=foundersnetwork' target='_blank' class='bctt-ctt-btn'rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cRevenue-based financing is a way of getting financing that does not result in permanent ownership transfer of the company, and it works best for companies that have a potential to grow and be profitable &#8212; but are not going to scale large enough to attract an exit of the company,\u201d Hayes explains. \u201cSo what resulted from this is the concept of a loan where I give you $10,000, and you hold back a single digit percent of your revenue each year. And then you use that to start paying me back until I&#8217;ve reached a predetermined return. Then the relationship is over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Angel investor and management consultant Nancy Hayes shares her formula for a compelling presentation, including pitch deck tips, common pitfalls to avoid, and insights on how you\u2019ll be evaluated.\u00a0 For &#8230; <\/p>\n<div><a href=\"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/presenting-to-vcs-and-angel-investors-with-nancy-hayes\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":18412,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7171],"tags":[9796,21,8059],"table_tags":[],"class_list":["post-18407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-startup-investing-and-funding","tag-fundraising","tag-san-francisco","tag-women-entrepreneurs"],"acf":[],"featured_image_data":{"src":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Nancy-Hayes-1.jpg","alt":"Nancy Hayes","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18407"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18407\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18412"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18407"},{"taxonomy":"table_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/table_tags?post=18407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}