Pitch Deck Lies: What Investors Actually Look At

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An investigative deep-dive into the subtle signals, psychological factors, and hidden evaluation metrics venture capitalists use when assessing startup founders and their companies. This series reveals the unspoken rules and real decision-making frameworks that drive investment decisions, going far beyond traditional pitch deck analysis. This show produced by Aarish Shah.

Episodes

  1. 01/08/2025

    The Final Hour: Inside Investment Committee Decisions

    A revealing look into how investment committees make final decisions on deals, including the hidden scoring systems used to evaluate opportunities. The episode examines how different factors are weighted, how partner dynamics influence decisions, and how firms manage portfolio construction considerations. It includes detailed analysis of how investment theses are pressure-tested, how deal champions navigate committee politics, and how firms manage the psychological aspects of turning down promising opportunities. Special attention is given to how different types of firms structure their decision-making processes and what really drives consensus building.

    12 min

  2. 12/18/2024

    Customer Discovery: The Secret Calls That Determine Investment Decisions

    This episode uncovers how VCs conduct independent customer research to verify founder claims about market demand and product-market fit. It details specific techniques used to identify and contact customers without alerting companies, how investors interpret customer feedback, and what signals they look for in customer behavior patterns. The episode includes analysis of how different types of customers are weighted in the decision-making process and how investors spot manufactured or biased customer references.

    12 min

  3. 11/27/2024

    The Competition Matrix: Mapping Hidden Market Dynamics

    An in-depth exploration of how VCs analyze competitive landscapes beyond what founders present. The episode reveals sophisticated frameworks used to map potential future competitors, including adjacent market players and tech giants' possible moves. It examines how investors use patent analysis, job posting data, and other alternative data sources to verify competitive claims and spot emerging threats. The episode also covers how VCs evaluate defensive moats and potential market consolidation scenarios.

    14 min

  4. 11/06/2024

    Technical Due Diligence: The Engineering Truth Seekers

    This episode examines how investors evaluate technical claims and engineering capabilities beyond surface-level presentations. It reveals the specific technical indicators VCs look for in codebases, architecture decisions, and engineering team structures. The episode includes detailed analysis of how technical due diligence varies across different types of startups, from AI companies to marketplace platforms. Special attention is given to how investors spot technical debt, scalability issues, and potential security vulnerabilities that founders try to hide.

    11 min

  5. 10/16/2024

    Reference Calls: The Shadow Network That Makes or Breaks Deals

    An unprecedented look into how VCs conduct back-channel reference checks and build intelligence networks around potential investments. The episode reveals how investors use sophisticated relationship mapping tools, how they interpret second and third-degree connections, and what specific questions they ask during reference calls. It includes detailed analysis of how negative references are weighted against positive ones and how investors verify the credibility of their sources. The episode also explores the controversial practice of unsolicited reference checks and their impact on deal dynamics.

    12 min

  6. 09/25/2024

    The Hidden Math: Beyond Revenue Projections and TAM

    This episode uncovers the sophisticated financial analysis VCs perform beyond the obvious metrics presented in pitch decks. It explores how investors evaluate unit economics, customer acquisition efficiency, and operational leverage through unconventional metrics rarely discussed in public. The episode details specific formulas used to predict scaling potential and reveals how investors spot creative accounting and misleading metrics. Special attention is given to sector-specific evaluation frameworks and how different types of investors weight various financial indicators.

    14 min

  7. 09/04/2024

    Body Language Betrayals: The Non-Verbal Cues That Make or Break Deals

    Delve into the sophisticated non-verbal assessment techniques used by experienced investors during pitch meetings. The episode examines how VCs interpret micro-expressions, posture changes, and team dynamics during presentations. It includes analysis of specific body language red flags that signal potential leadership issues, confidence problems, or team conflicts, supported by real case studies from prominent Silicon Valley investors. The role of virtual meetings in changing this dynamic is also explored in detail.

    14 min

  8. 08/14/2024

    The Psychology of First Impressions: Digital Footprints Before the Pitch

    Explore how VCs conduct extensive background research before ever meeting founders, including social media analysis, professional network mapping, and digital presence evaluation. The episode reveals how investors analyze founders' Twitter feeds, LinkedIn activity patterns, and GitHub contributions to form initial impressions. Special attention is given to the controversial practice of social graph analysis and how VCs use tools like Signal, Crunchbase, and PitchBook to create comprehensive founder profiles before the first meeting.

    12 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

An investigative deep-dive into the subtle signals, psychological factors, and hidden evaluation metrics venture capitalists use when assessing startup founders and their companies. This series reveals the unspoken rules and real decision-making frameworks that drive investment decisions, going far beyond traditional pitch deck analysis. This show produced by Aarish Shah.

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