10 Slides you need in your pitch - by Guy Kawasaki

You’ve probably heard of Guy Kawasaki’s 10 pitch deck slides by now. Most people in the startup realm with a tiny bit of experience on their table commonly have. Yet, if that’s not the case for you, then this article is an absolute must-read. 

Guy Kawasaki’s 10 pitch deck slides are one of the most popular pitch deck combinations out there. And that’s because there’s indeed proven knowledge and an exact science behind his 10 max slide count on an effective 20-minute presentation. Following Kawasaki’s suggestions on how to create a great pitch deck is probably one of the wisest decisions you can make. So, let’s get a bit of background information on the man before we give you a detailed summary of what Guy Kawasaki’s 10 pitch deck slides entail. 

Who is Guy Kawasaki?

Primarily known as a VC and one of the world’s biggest tech and marketing specialists, Guy Kawasaki’s also a reputable author in the startup world. He’s well-known as Apple’s chief evangelist, and now Canva’s, too. Being quite a figure in Silicon Valley, Guy’s the one responsible for Macintosh’s marketing in 1984. He was also an advisor for Google’s Motorola division. People tend to immediately recognize him as the author of The Art of the Start 2.0. All this made him one of our three pitch deck theorists you don’t want to miss.

As a natural speaker, he’s got his own podcast and is a brand ambassador for Mercedes - Benz. With a BA from Stanford, an MBA from UCLA, and an honorary doctorate from Babson College, his work doesn’t stop there. Guy’s also a college professor, and, in a few words, trust us that he knows a thing or two about pitches.

What is a pitch deck?

Just in case this is all new to you, a pitch deck is a business presentation aiming to raise funds. Presented to venture capitalists or investors of diverse kinds, their goal is to get small businesses to profitable growth. A pitch deck is a set of slides that give a summarized notion of your company, its vision, and its business plan. You can usually put 10 to 20 slides together to achieve a successful pitch deck, which should compile vital information on your business to captivate new investors. Able for use in front of a stage, a pitch deck can sometimes also need to be emailed or presented in a private office.

As an entrepreneur, creating a great pitch deck can make the difference between a thriving company business or a failing one. Which is why it’s crucial to get this right. This document’s the tool for the kind of financing a startup usually needs to keep thriving and grow as a company. Potential investors hope to learn everything about a CEO and a company through a pitch deck presentation. And a successful pitch deck will get those people together over a serious investment meeting. To achieve this, a pitch deck needs to be informative and equally engaging. Its main goal is to leave a target audience wanting to learn more from its presenter and that person’s business.

On pitch deck templates

You’ll most definitely find tons of different free pitch deck templates online. Yet, discern which one works best for you based on your ultimate goal and the industry in which you hope to insert your new company. Guy Kawasaki’s 10 pitch deck slides are among the best free pitch deck templates you’ll ever find. For that, Kawasaki’s essential rules on pitch decks are a crucial starting reference point. 

Guy Kawasaki’s 10 slides pitch deck rules

Here are Guy Kawasaki’s 3 main rules in regards to pitches:

1. A pitch should consist of 10 slides & no more than 15.
2. The presentation should last no more than 20 minutes.
3. The font to it should be no smaller than 30 points.
   

Now, for the juice of why we’re here, let’s go over Guy Kawasaki pitch deck presentation template slides together. 

• Slide #1: 
  

The first slide is your introduction. It should have your company name and tagline, as well as your contact information. Make sure this is all updated, and these are all means to which you’ll respond promptly. The lines of communication you establish here will be your main link with potential investors. 

• Slide #2: 
  

The second slide on the pitch deck is the problem slide. Call it your opportunity, if you’d rather frame it that way. Regardless of how you decide to see and name this, be sure to make this as clear as possible ad be concise as you point it out. Give examples, if you can, to make that problem more relatable to your audience. Your efforts in presenting this should get your audience to empathize and believe in your business’ main area of focus.

• Slide #3:
  

Now comes the value proposition. Describe who you are and what you do in a single phrase. Don’t go beyond a sentence. To achieve this, you can compare what you do to something everyone knows. The goal is to give an unequivocal message. Think of something like “we’re the Uber for pets” or something along those lines. This slide should captivate an audience into wanting to know everything else you’ve got to say. 

• Slide #4:
  

The fourth slide of a Guy Kawasaki pitch deck proposal is what’s termed underlying magic. Here, you mainly get to brag about your product or service. 

• Slide #5:
  

On the fifth slide, explain your business model. Be direct about your figures and strategy. Investors should know what they’re looking at as your business vision in this sense.

• Slide #6:
  

For slide number 6, talk about your market plan. This is a chance to demonstrate how well you know your target customer and how you plan on getting them to buy your product. Define the different channels you’ll be using to attract and captivate them. How you plan on securing that consumer relationship on both ends should be evident through this slide. 

• Slide #7:
  

Now comes your competitive analysis. Show you know your competition perfectly. Doing so should ease explaining what makes you unique. Define how you’ll turn your own and your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses to your advantage.

• Slide #8:
  

The eighth slide should kill it in presenting your team. Though great professional pictures of them will help, you furthermore wish to create a great impression by elaborating on the stellar team you have. Highlight their strengths, relevant background stories to your field, and that unique factor that makes them your best possible asset. 

• Slide #9:
  

Now, make room for your financial projections and key metrics. As you do so, stay grounded and be realistic about your figures and expectations.

• Slide #10:
  

And the last slide to Guy Kawasaki’s 10 pitch deck slides is where you give your audience hope. As you present your current status, accomplishments, and how you foresee growth into the future, be direct on how much money you need to do what, precisely, with what you raise.

All in all, we hope you can now see why the Guy Kawasaki pitch deck template is a great concise foundation. It should be a reliable resource to impress investors with all your startup has to offer. However, if you want a more customized result to wow your audience, don’t hesitate to contact our presentation and design agency for personalized and top-notch business presentation assistance.