The mistake that ends most pitches is leading with the product. A founder describes what they built, how it works and what it does, and never establishes that anyone has the problem it solves. The listener spends the presentation trying to work out who this is for, which is the question the first sentence should have answered.
Fixing it costs nothing and changes how the rest of the conversation goes.
Open with the problem and who has it
Name a specific customer and the specific difficulty they currently have, including what it costs them in money or time. Then explain what you do about it.
Specific matters. ‘Small businesses struggle with cash flow’ is a category. ‘Suppliers to large retailers wait months to be paid while funding stock upfront’ is a problem with a customer attached.
Prove someone will pay
Evidence that people buy is worth more than any description of the product: orders, repeat customers, a waiting list, letters of intent. A product nobody has paid for is a hypothesis.
If you have no sales yet, say so plainly and explain what you have done to test demand. Pretending otherwise is found out immediately.
Cut what does not move the decision
Technical detail, the full feature list and a long origin story rarely change whether someone funds you. What does: the problem, the evidence, the numbers, the team and what you are asking for.
Time spent on how it works is usually time taken from why it matters.
Know the ask
Say what you want, what it buys and what happens as a result. Ending a pitch without a specific request leaves the listener to guess, and they will guess conservatively.
Have the supporting material ready: financials, quotations, and compliance documents including registration and annual returns at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common pitching mistake?
Leading with the product rather than the problem, so the listener never learns who it is for.
How should a pitch open?
With a specific customer, the specific difficulty they have, and what it costs them. Then what you do about it.
What if I have no sales yet?
Say so, and explain how you tested demand. Overstating traction is found out quickly and ends credibility.
What should be cut from most pitches?
Technical detail, full feature lists and long origin stories. They rarely change the decision.
How should a pitch end?
With a specific ask: the amount, what it buys and what results. Without one, the listener guesses conservatively.
Originally published in November 2018. Updated September 2026 into guidance on structuring a pitch around the problem rather than the product.
