Take away that ‘exit technique’ slide out of your pitch deck – TechCrunch

A number of pitch decks I evaluation have a slide that basically shouldn’t be there: the exit technique slide. Your slide deck ought to solely have an exit technique slide for those who’re working a really late-stage firm that’s about to IPO, and even then, you in all probability wouldn’t have it as a slide on a funding deck however as a complete, separate IPO plan. As an early-stage startup, it’s downright nonsensical, and it shouldn’t be a part of your pitch deck in any respect.

To numerous founders, an exit — or a “liquidation occasion,” because the authorized buffs are likely to confer with it — is the large pot of gold on the finish of a really lengthy and arduous journey. The identical goes for traders; when there’s an acquisition or a public itemizing, that’s how everybody will get paid. Furthermore, a few of the outdated pitch deck templates which might be floating round on the web have an exit technique slide on them, so it is smart that individuals are nonetheless making this error.

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Two issues are true: One is that the most effective corporations are purchased, not offered. It’s unlikely that you already know prematurely precisely who will likely be serious about shopping for your organization. Second, your job as a founder is to construct the most effective firm you presumably can.

Making selections early on to assist form the corporate into one thing somebody may wish to purchase merely doesn’t make sense; it makes you blind to a few of the different choices and alternatives which may current themselves.