269. Inside the Mind of an Investor When There's Too Much Text on the Slide

Text your thoughts directly to Rich.

Let's peer into the spooky world inside a VC's brain when you're pitching with a wall-of-text slide.

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Transcript

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00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.330
It's awesome to get data-driven advice on pitch decks.

00:00:04.990 --> 00:00:08.619
I especially love how Justin talked about snappy decks.

00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:15.269
He was also driving the point home about getting feedback from someone with critical distance from your business.

00:00:15.769 --> 00:00:16.760
Keep that in mind.

00:00:17.510 --> 00:00:22.609
It makes me think about a recent pitch from a founder that did not have a snappy pitch deck.

00:00:23.179 --> 00:00:27.379
In fact, the second slide was a wall of text.

00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:33.759
It was even neatly organized into little boxes all in about nine point font.

00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:44.820
And since it's the Halloween season, let's peer into the scary world of Rich's brain, and what happens when a founder pitches from a wall of text slide.

00:00:45.670 --> 00:00:46.119
Oh my.

00:00:46.420 --> 00:00:47.188
So much text.

00:00:47.438 --> 00:00:48.067
Uh, okay.

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Don't read the text.

00:00:49.118 --> 00:00:49.927
Don't read the text.

00:00:50.018 --> 00:00:50.828
Don't read the text.

00:00:50.828 --> 00:00:51.548
Listen to what he's saying.

00:00:51.637 --> 00:00:52.237
Listen to what he's saying.

00:00:52.298 --> 00:00:52.537
Okay.

00:00:52.537 --> 00:00:52.597
Is.

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And then.

00:00:53.648 --> 00:00:55.537
And, uh, and oh shit.

00:00:55.537 --> 00:00:56.497
I'm reading the text.

00:00:56.527 --> 00:00:56.798
Okay.

00:00:56.798 --> 00:00:57.578
Wait, wait, stop, stop.

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Stop reading the text.

00:00:58.597 --> 00:00:59.317
Stop reading the text.

00:00:59.317 --> 00:00:59.677
Don't read.

00:00:59.677 --> 00:01:00.548
Listen, listen, listen.

00:01:00.838 --> 00:01:02.338
Um, I don't even know what he's talking about.

00:01:02.368 --> 00:01:02.968
Where do we go?

00:01:03.057 --> 00:01:03.688
What is he saying?

00:01:03.987 --> 00:01:05.757
Oh, there, maybe he's talking about that point right there.

00:01:05.787 --> 00:01:06.778
Let me read that right now.

00:01:07.078 --> 00:01:07.378
Shit.

00:01:07.408 --> 00:01:08.007
What did he say?

00:01:08.308 --> 00:01:08.638
Huh?

00:01:08.817 --> 00:01:09.447
Oh my God.

00:01:09.537 --> 00:01:10.617
I just can't.

00:01:11.248 --> 00:01:11.817
I just can't.

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I tried so hard to not read the text that I ended up fighting myself in my own head and putting just as much effort towards reminding myself to listen as it was trying to listen.

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I was neither able to read the text nor was I able to listen intently to what the founder was saying.

00:01:32.028 --> 00:01:35.507
You just can't ask your audience to multitask in this way.

00:01:36.207 --> 00:01:41.418
Take Justin's advice, send your slides over to a friend with critical distance and ask them.

00:01:41.718 --> 00:01:46.927
"Hey, is there too much text on here?" And if you're asking the answer is probably yes.

269. Inside the Mind of an Investor When There's Too Much Text on the Slide

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