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Writing a Business Plan

Team sequoia.

When Brian, Joe and Nate founded Airbnb, they had an air mattress, entrepreneurial passion, and a vision for reinventing travel and hospitality, but no clear idea how to approach VCs or how to craft a pitch deck.

They came across Sequoia’s guide for how to write a business plan and the rest is history . They made a great deck.

But it wasn’t really the slides we liked—it was their ideas, the clarity of their thinking, and the scope of their ambition. We love partnering with founders hell-bent on bringing an idea to life that conventional wisdom deems impossible. And we love to partner early— when an idea is newly formed and has the maximal room to grow.

You can find our guide to pitching below (with a few refinements from years of use).

Company purpose Start here: define your company in a single declarative sentence. This is harder than it looks. It’s easy to get caught up listing features instead of communicating your mission.

Problem Describe the pain of your customer. How is this addressed today and what are the shortcomings to current solutions.

Solution Explain your eureka moment. Why is your value prop unique and compelling? Why will it endure? And where does it go from here?

Why now? The best companies almost always have a clear why now? Nature hates a vacuum—so why hasn’t your solution been built before now?

Market potential Identify your customer and your market. Some of the best companies invent their own markets.

Competition / alternatives Who are your direct and indirect competitors. Show that you have a plan to win.

Business model How do you intend to thrive?

Team Tell the story of your founders and key team members.

Financials If you have any, please include.

Vision If all goes well, what will you have built in five years?

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Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template

The Sequoia Pitch Deck Template has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of startup founders that are preparing their pitch deck.

It started as a simple blog post that some smart cookie turned into a very simple series of slides. Sometimes the best things in life are super simple.

Now yes, Sequoia are a big deal and yes they know what they are talking about but no… you’re not going to learn a massive amount when it comes to what to actually write and the narrative you want to tell. This is, however, a nice quick read for you to start building a framework upon which to build you frame of reference

The back story on the Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template

So what is the back story with the pitch deck template? In Sequoia’s words:

When Brian, Joe and Nate founded Airbnb, they had an air mattress, entrepreneurial passion, and a vision for reinventing travel and hospitality, but no clear idea how to approach VCs or how to craft a pitch deck. They came across Sequoia’s guide for how to write a business plan and the  rest is history . They made a great deck. But it wasn’t really the slides we liked—it was their ideas, the clarity of their thinking, and the scope of their ambition. We love partnering with founders hell-bent on bringing an idea to life that conventional wisdom deems impossible. And we love to partner early— when an idea is newly formed and has the maximal room to grow.

So they shared their guide to pitching (with a few refinements from years of use).

Investors have a short attention span

Investors will give you the most attention at the start of your pitch.

A rookie mistake is to assume that if you have scheduled an hour-long meeting, you will get an hour of attention. #fail

The typical attention span in an hour-long meeting will follow this curve most of the time.

Understand this when you think about the order and priority of the information you want to communicate to venture capitalists.

You have five minutes to earn attention for the rest of the meeting. If you can’t get them thinking ‘Ok, this might be interesting’ they may even call an end to the meeting and say ‘come back when you have more traction.’ Founders LOVE hearing that. Not.

For the love of god, make sure in the first few minutes investors are crystal clear what you actually do! It’s crazy how many founders forget to actually do that. You know your business- everyone else does not!

The flow of the Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template

• Company Purpose
• Market Size

Competition

• Business Model

Company purpose

Start here: define your company in a single declarative sentence. This is harder than it looks. It’s easy to get caught up listing features instead of communicating your mission.

I personally like using and x for y (Just don’t use Uber!) and then a simple explanation.

‘Visions’ might work in America, but in most places investors might think it is naff. Investors would prefer to know the insight you identified and how you are proving that out.

Describe the pain of your customer. How is this addressed today and why the current offerings are totally inadequate.

The bigger the pain point the better!

Be very clear about the problem you are solving:

• For consumer concepts, talk about user needs (You need to market to them)
• For enterprise ideas, show a detailed understanding of your customer’s pain (you need to be an industry expert)

If you cannot convince an investor there’s something deeply broke, they will not be interested in what your solution is to the problem. You might have a solution looking for a problem… in which case, come back later.

There are a lot of manners to approach describing the solution. Some of the things you can address include:

• What was your eureka moment?
• Why is your value prop unique and compelling?
• Why will it endure? Is there a competitive moat build in such as network effects?
• And where does it go from here? How big can this get?

You need to figure out the key points that really communicate the big value here.

Timing matters.

The best companies almost always have a clear why now? What happened in the industry to bring your industry to being at the perfect time for you to act on it?

Nature hates a vacuum—so why hasn’t your solution been built before now? There are often good reasons for this.

Market potential

Can this be really big? How big is the market?

You have two ways to size the market:

And some sizing jargon you can use is:

Here is an example of how we have presented it.

You need to identify your customer and your market clearly. Have an avatar in your head.

‘ If we just get 1% of the market ‘ is naive. In fact, some of the best companies invent their own markets (think Airbnb).

If it’s a new market, the best way to tackle this is to explain how many users or customers there are for the product/service, how this number grows over time, and how much each of these users/customers is worth (this last part is a chance to cover pricing/revenue model).

If it’s a replacement market, for example where software is automating an existing service, then explain how big the existing market is today and how much you expect your solution to shrink it, through lower prices. You can read about shrinking a market and owning it here .

One thing not to do is to put up huge numbers from a market study such as Gartner or Forrester and not add any details behind them. Airbnb does this in their deck , albeit simply.

If you cannot prove you have a large market you will not get very far. Here is why .

EVERYONE has competitors. Inertia is always an option.

Who are your direct and indirect competitors? Typically these are mapped out in an x/y axis.

The best is to add some commentary, or at least show that you have a plan to win by talking to the slide.

Better to identify all the competitors than have the investors discover them afterwards. That way, you can proactively explain how you are different. You want to control the discussion and not undermine your credibility.

Especially for early stage where you don’t have a lot of numbers you really want to give a demo.

My recommendation is not to do this live, but to pre-record the demo. DO NOT record your voice. Talk to the video. Otherwise, why didn’t you just send them a link to watch when they want? You can also pause the video and add extra comments on the fly and answer specific questions. You never know if wifi breaks etc.

It’s not possible every time (e.g. for infrastructure software), but whenever you can, a demo is worth a thousand words. Failing that, screenshots and the workflow to bring the solution alive.

Business model

So how do you actually make money?

How you address this slide depends on your business model and the stage you are at (maybe you aren’t clear on pricing yet?).

If you have many ways to make money, don’t talk about them all! Pick one main method. It’s almost always:

• Subscription
• Ads (Ergh…)
• Transactions

Ideally you can add metrics here around critical areas including CAC and LTV.

By this point, if the investor is interested, they will want to know about the team, so it’s worth spending a couple of minutes on the founders’ backgrounds, highlighting any special talents or experiences that make them well-suited to building the business.

Team is critical. Everything else is sort of pointless with out the team to execute on it. Here is a guide so you know what an investible founding team looks like .

I disagree with the Sequoia Capital pitch deck template format here though. If your team is amazing, you want to put it up front. It adds credibility to everything you say.

If you are sending satellites to space, I like to know first that you worked at NASA.

If you don’t know… here is the real reason founders are not funded (that doesn’t get talked about).

I would put advisors at the bottom and very small. Most people think advisors are BS and your friend who agreed to get involved for the sole purpose of the deck. You can add credibility by saying they actually invested. That makes it real, even if it is a small amount.

I typically don’t include financials in a pitch deck, at least nothing like a P&L. What I focus on instead are your metrics and adding growth charts.

You can mention high level MRR/ARR numbers and the like depending on your business model.

It’s easy to lose yourself in the numbers. Sequoia suggest keeping it simple and just showing on a timeline how you would spend the money (e.g., headcount) to achieve specific milestones (e.g., launching the service). I however recommend making a source and use slide which shows what you are raising, how you are going to spend it, and the key milestones you will achieve with it and your defined runway.

There we go. What do you think of the Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template? Let me know in the comments and we can discuss them.

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Sequoia Pitch Deck Structure Made Better (Usable Examples)

Make a winning Sequoia pitch deck with our tips on required structure, must-have slides, and best formats. Explore proven examples usable as templates.

7 minute read

helped business professionals at:

Short answer

What to include in a Sequoia pitch deck?

Cover slide

Company purpose

Market potential

Competition / Alternatives

Business model

99% of startups fail. Is your application strong enough to stand out?

Pitching to Sequoia? It's tough. Really tough. Out of tens of thousands, a little over 1% make it through.

Think about it: missing out on joining legends like Airbnb, Dropbox, or Apple because your pitch deck didn't hit the mark. That's tough.

Your deck needs to do more than just share your idea—it needs to make Sequoia believe in your startup as much as you do.

But here's the good news: this blog post is filled with insights that helped others succeed, including tips on pitch deck structure and format .

Let's dive in!

What are the required Sequoia pitch deck slides?

Cover slide: Start with a visually appealing and attention-grabbing cover slide that includes your company name and logo.

Company purpose: Define your company in a single, clear sentence. This is your mission statement, capturing the essence of what you aim to achieve.

Problem: Detail the customer pain point you're addressing. Highlight the limitations of current solutions, setting the stage for your innovation.

Solution: Share the moment of insight that led to your startup's solution. Explain why it's both unique and compelling, and how it's positioned for longevity.

Why now?: Justify the timing of your solution. Discuss why this is the moment for your startup to enter the market, and why it hasn't been done before.

Market potential: Identify your target customer and market size. Show how you might create or redefine a market space.

Competition / Alternatives: Outline who your competitors are, both direct and indirect, and demonstrate your strategy for success against them.

Business model: Describe how your startup will generate revenue and sustain growth. This is where you clarify your path to financial viability.

Team: Introduce your founders and key team members. Share your team's story, focusing on the experiences and skills that make you uniquely qualified to execute your vision.

Financials: If available, include key financial metrics and projections. This slide lends credibility to your business model and growth potential.

Vision: Paint a picture of where you see your company in 5 years. This is your chance to share your ambition and the broader impact of your startup.

Next steps: Conclude with a clear outline of immediate next steps. This slide should guide the conversation forward, suggesting actions for potential investors, such as meetings, further information exchanges, or investment discussions.

Interactive Sequoia pitch deck templates

When you're gearing up to pitch to a heavyweight like Sequoia Capital, starting with a blank slide simply won't cut it. The stakes are too high, and the competition is too fierce.

Interactive Sequoia pitch deck templates are specifically designed with the end goal in mind. They provide a structured framework that helps you hit all the key points Sequoia looks for in a pitch.

(You can also look at the famous Airbnb pitch deck which Sequoia decided to back, or other successful pitch deck presentation examples )

Just grab one.

If you'd like to learn more about how to submit a winning application, check out our post on how to pitch your startup to Sequoia .

What is the best Sequoia pitch deck file format?

When preparing your pitch deck for Sequoia Capital, choosing the right format is crucial.

While traditional formats like PDF and PowerPoint are widely used, they often fall short in setting your presentation apart. Static decks are not fun. They are a reading task that will lead your audience to disengaged.

Lucky for us, by now there are other options that offer interactive formats with much better engagement.

Available pitch deck formats:

Successful Sequoia pitch deck examples

Securing funding from Sequoia Capital is a milestone many startups dream of, given Sequoia's track record of backing industry giants.

A well-crafted pitch deck is your first step on this journey, serving as a crucial tool to communicate your vision, strategy, and potential impact.

The right pitch deck can fast-track your funding efforts, turning your innovative ideas into reality. Below, we explore several standout Sequoia pitch deck examples, highlighting key features that set them apart and make them a compelling case for investment.

Fintech Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck exemplifies how to effectively communicate a complex fintech solution, leveraging interactive elements and thoughtful design to engage Sequoia Capital and potential investors.

Healthcare Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck provides a great example of a compelling narrative for a healthcare startup, combining a clear problem-solution framework with interactive elements and a well-defined future roadmap.

Consumer product Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck stands out for its strategic focus on consumer trends, innovative solutions, and a keen understanding of the market, making it a compelling case for Sequoia Capital's investment.

AI Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck shows how to compellingly present an AI startup, combining a strong narrative on addressing key industry challenges with interactive and personalized elements.

Climate tech Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck stands out for its strategic focus on addressing critical environmental issues with actionable, technology-driven solutions, coupled with a keen understanding of the market and a solid team ready to make a significant impact.

Crypto Sequoia pitch deck

This pitch deck provides an example of how to effectively leverage the power of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to propose viable solutions for the financial industry's most pressing challenges.

With its strategic focus on innovation, clear problem-solution framework, and user-friendly design, it stands out as a persuasive argument for investment.

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The Art of Business Planning

Business plans for entrepreneurs and managers, writing a business plan: advice from sequoia capital, one of the most successful vc of the last 40 years.

We love what Sequoia Capital says about Business Plan. The original can be found on their web site, but we are pleased to reproduce it below:

We like business plans that present a lot of information in as few words as possible. The following business plan format, within 15–20 slides, is all that’s needed. Company purpose Define the company/business in a single declarative sentence. Problem Describe the pain of the customer (or the customer’s customer). Outline how the customer addresses the issue today. Solution Demonstrate your company’s value proposition to make the customer’s life better. Show where your product physically sits. Provide use cases. Why now Set-up the historical evolution of your category. Define recent trends that make your solution possible. Market size Identify/profile the customer you cater to. Calculate the TAM (top down), SAM (bottoms up) and SOM. Competition List competitors. List competitive advantages. Product Product line-up (form factor, functionality, features, architecture, intellectual property) Development roadmap Business model Revenue model Pricing Average account size and/or lifetime value Sales & distribution model Customer/pipeline list Team Founders & Management Board of Directors/Board of Advisors Financials P&L Balance sheet Cash flow Cap table The deal

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[Sequoia Capital] Investor Friendly Business Plan Format for Startups

Thomas oppong.

• Jan 21, 2013
• 2 minute read

A Business plan is a blueprint of your company and it’s information should be very clear and concise to your  potential partners and investors. It’s  an essential roadmap for business success and  for achieving your business goals but not a guarantee for success.

Most assumptions in business plans change before the end of the first year. To boost your chances of securing funding from angels and VC’s, Sequoia capital has put together a great business plan format for writing a winning and investor friendly business plan . Sequoia capital is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture-capital firms. Sequoia has funded a number of enormously successful companies including Google, Yahoo, Paypal, Apple, YouTube, LinkedIn, Admob, Zappos, Airbnb and Instagram.

In presenting the business plan format Sequoia said “We like business plans that present a lot of information in as few words as possible. The following business plan format, within 15–20 slides, is all that’s needed.”

Company Purpose

• Define the company/business in a single declarative sentence.
• Describe the pain of the customer (or the customer’s customer).
• Outline how the customer addresses the issue today.
• Demonstrate your company’s value proposition to make the customer’s life better.
• Show where your product physically sits.
• Provide use cases.
• Set-up the historical evolution of your category.
• Define recent trends that make your solution possible.

Market Size

• Identify/profile the customer you cater to.
• Calculate the TAM (top down), SAM (bottoms up) and SOM.

Competition

• List competitors
• List competitive advantages
• Product line-up (form factor, functionality, features, architecture, intellectual property).
• Development roadmap.

Business Model

• Revenue model
• Average account size and/or lifetime value
• Sales & distribution model
• Customer/pipeline list
• Founders & Management
• Board of Directors/Board of Advisors
• Balance sheet

Business plan format courtesy Sequoia Capital

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Learn from the business planning experts, resources to help you get ahead, sequoia capital.

Sequoia Capital is a renowned venture capital firm that has significantly impacted the technology industry. They specialize in funding innovative companies across various stages, from seed to growth. Sequoia Capital has a rich history of investing in successful ventures; notable examples include Apple, Google, Oracle, and more recently, Airbnb and Stripe.

Sequoia Capital focuses on a broad range of industries including technology, healthcare, energy, financial services, and consumer products, continually seeking out disruptive and scalable business models. Their track record and industry expertise make them one of the most prestigious VC firms in the startup ecosystem.

Welcome to Businessplan.com

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Products available for purchase are placeholders and no orders will be processed at this time.

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Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template

by Alejandro Cremades

What is the Sequoia Capital pitch deck template? What are Sequoia Capital’s recommendations for creating a pitch deck?

What does well known VC Sequoia Capital pitch deck template look like? How do you utilize their format to create a deck of your own that you can go out fundraising with?

*FREE DOWNLOAD*

The ultimate guide to pitch decks.

Here is the content that we will cover in this post. Let’s get started.

• 1.Sequoia Capital
• 2. What’s Important To Them
• 3. Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck Template
• 4. Company Purpose
• 6. Solution
• 7. Why Now?
• 8. Market Potential
• 9. Competition & Alternatives
• 10. Business Model
• 12. Financials
• 14. Making This Pitch Deck Your Own
• 15. Alternative Pitch Deck Template
• 16. What’s Most Important When Creating A Pitch Deck?
• 17. Summary

Sequoia Capital

Sequoia is one of the most well-known venture capital investment firms. Founded 50 years ago, this Menlo Park, California-based investor had around $85B in assets under management in 2022.

They invest in seed to growth stage companies. With limited partners that provide their funding, including endowment funds, charitable foundations , and other large institutions.

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What’s Important To Them

If you’ve seen Airbnb’s early pitch deck, it wasn’t really a beautiful work of art. Even Sequoia says that it wasn’t their slides that they liked, but their clarity of thinking, and the scope of their ambition.

Via their website and page on writing a business plan, they say that they love to invest when an idea is newly formed and has maximum room to grow.

Keep in mind that in fundraising, storytelling is everything. In this regard, for a winning pitch deck to help you here, you can also take a look at the template created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel ( see it here ) that I recently covered. Thiel was the first angel investor in Facebook with a $500K check that turned into more than $1 billion in cash.

Remember to unlock the pitch deck template that is being used by founders around the world to raise millions below.

Unlock the pitch deck template used by founders to raise millions. Just enter your email below.

Via their website, below is their guide to writing a business plan and pitching.

It’s just 10 slides. Far less than most new entrepreneurs can fathom making theirs.

Let’s take a look at the slides and points that they recommend including, what should go on them, and then how to pull it all together.

1. Company Purpose

Sequoia Capital would like to see startup founders able to sum up their companies in a single sentence.

What is the purpose for your startup to exist?

This is your mission. Not the one product that you are working on right now. It is the one thing that you are in business to do, which everything else will come from.

Do not use this space to talk about all the features of your products. While your mission may resonate with some investors, and not with others, it is most important that you use this slide to prove you can focus.

You can only create incredible results if you are able to focus. You won’t be able to stay on track and push the progress investors are looking for if you cannot maintain your clarity and keep things simple.

If you can’t be clear when millions or more are on the line for raising funding, then they won’t believe that you can create the messaging needed to sell customers either.

What is the pain that your target customers are suffering from today?

What is the urgent need that is so painful that it needs to be solved? What is such a problem that people are going to pay money for a solution, or a better solution than is on the market currently?

You may contrast this to what solutions your customers have been trying to use prior to yours. As well as the problems with them, and gaps in the market.

Do not use too many words, but be clear about the problem, and why it is so important that a lot of money should be poured in to fix it.

3. Solution

What is your compelling, and unique value proposition ?

Sequoia Capital would like to know what your eureka moment was. How you discovered the problem and solution, and where you are taking this all from here.

Again, you need to keep this clean and simplified. Though, be ready to answer questions about your product roadmap.

Remember that your solution needs to be far superior to existing options.

4. Why Now?

Sequoia believes that the best companies have a clear why now.

Timing can be everything when it comes to the success and survival of a startup. If you want investors to have that sense of urgency to take action to back you right now, then you need to have a compelling argument for why doing it right now is so important, and valuable.

If there is a real gap and vacuum begging for a solution to this problem, then why hasn’t it been filled already? How have others failed to succeed in this space, where you think you can win?

How have things changed to make this possible and viable as a business now?

5. Market Potential

What is this industry? How big is it? Who exactly are your customers?

While some companies appear to create their own markets, and Sequoia says they love the outliers, having a proven market also makes many investors more comfortable and confident in providing their capital.

If this is a new market, how is it being created and made possible now? How will it be supported going forward?

If this is an existing market, what share of it do you believe you can win? Is it still growing, and if so, how fast?

6. Competition & Alternatives

Who are your competitors in this space? Both indirect and direct competitors ?

What other options do your customers have than you? How do they compare? How will you win against them?

7. Business Model

How will your company thrive?

How do you make money? A business is about making money. An investor is putting their money in to get a financial reward, and you are responsible to them for delivering the financial returns you promised.

What is your business cycle? From getting the product to selling the product, and putting money back in the bank?

Who are your key team members and company founders? What is their story?

In the early days, the only real tangible thing or performance for investors to base their investment decision on is your people. Do they have what it takes to make it through the series of battles, and grueling endurance race that is ahead? What have they achieved before that proves that they can do this?

Sequoia Capital loves ambitious founders that are passionate and can be very clear in conveying their message. Yet, a startup team also needs to be capable of delivering on its aspirations.

9. Financials

Does your company have existing financials?

If you have been selling, or have raised previous rounds of financing, then you use this slide to show your performance and financial status.

If you are just starting out, then you may use this slide for your financial forecast . What are the financial projections for this company over the next 12 to 36 months?

What’s the big vision for this venture?

Sequoia wants startups to put this in terms of a five-year timeline if everything goes well.

For other investors, you may want to go even bigger than this. It is not uncommon for it to take 10 years to create a startup that is an ‘overnight success’, and a big success. One which goes the distance to be able to hold its own as a profitable private company, can go public, or is going to be acquired, and will return investors their capital and expected returns. It takes some even longer than that.

Note that this is different from your mission. It is what the world will look like once you’ve been successful.

Making This Pitch Deck Your Own

So, how do you take this Sequoia Capital Pitch Deck template and make it your own?

If you are planning on pitching Sequoia for funding at your next round, then you can adopt this framework for that pitch.

You will want to begin by creating an outline. Including slide names and what you will put on each slide.

Then create your pitch deck in the optimal software for building the deck, collaborating on it with your team, and sharing it with your advisors and prospective investors. As well as for pitching live.

This may be in Microsoft Powerpoint . Though Google Slides can offer a lot more flexibility and integration for those that are using Google for other things.

Pitch a theme and background which is clean, simple, and will both match your brand identity, and resonate with investors as a startup that is going to be just as successful as the best in their portfolio history, or those they’ve missed out on.

Everything is on the line here. This is about selling. It is a marketing exercise, and test if you can pitch correctly, far more than it is about showing off your technical expertise and product.

Be sure to utilize the best copywriters and graphic designers you can to create a pitch deck that will convert your desired investors into funding partners.

Alternative Pitch Deck Template

The Sequoia Capital pitch deck template isn’t the only business plan and format out there. There are other successful pitch deck templates. Below is another great option for startup founders.

This 16-slide pitch deck template may be easier for many entrepreneurs to use. It may be more effective when out there pitching other investors, angel groups , and VCs.

This template provides a little more room, and space to have clean and focused slides. Without going so long that you’ll bore investors and run out of time for them to take action on your funding request.

1. Cover Slide 2. The Problem 3. The Solution 4. Market Size 5. The Competition 6. Competitive Advantages 7. Your Product 8. Traction 9. Customers and Engagement Slide 10. Business Model 11. Financials 12. Amount Being Raised And Other Investors 13. Use Of Funds 14. The Team 15. Advisors 16. Back Cover and Contact Information

What’s Most Important When Creating A Pitch Deck?

Above all else, it is vital to have a clean, simple, and clear pitch deck.

It doesn’t matter how great everything else is if you cannot explain it, and get the message across clearly and quickly.

This trumps deep technical genius, more features, and the product every time.

This is a sale. It is about showing investors that you can check the boxes that they are looking for, and have what it takes to build a hyper-growth company that can deliver outsized returns.

You can also learn how to create your own pitch deck by watching the video below.

The Sequoia Capital pitch deck template offers a glimpse of what they are looking for in a pitch deck on their page about writing a business plan. This 10-slide deck tells founders what they need to include in their presentation to get funded.

There are other pitch deck templates that you may prefer as well. Including this 16-slide deck.

No matter which template you use, it is essential to boil your message down to the simplest version you can. Keep it clean and compelling.

You can provide a lot more detail, and weave a great story around this slide presentation when you are pitching investors live.

You may find interesting as well our free library of business templates. There you will find every single template you will need when building and scaling your business completely for free. See it here .

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Write a Business Plan: Essential Tips and Strategies for Entrepreneurs

When starting a new venture or expanding an existing one, it's crucial to write a business plan . A business plan serves as a roadmap for your company's future, outlining your goals and strategies for achieving them. It's a vital tool for attracting investors and securing funding, demonstrating your understanding of your market and industry. Additionally, a well-crafted business plan can help you identify potential challenges and opportunities, allowing you to make informed decisions.

Importance of a Business Plan

The importance of a business plan cannot be overstated. It provides clarity and direction for your business, helping you stay focused on your objectives and navigate any obstacles that may arise. A well-written business plan also serves as a valuable communication tool, allowing you to articulate your vision to potential stakeholders and partners.

Benefits When you Write a Business Plan

When you write a business plan offers numerous benefits beyond securing funding. It forces you to conduct thorough research and analysis, giving you deep insights into your market, competition, and target audience. Moreover, it helps you set realistic financial projections and milestones for measuring success.

Key Components of a Business Plan

A comprehensive business plan typically includes critical components such as an executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization and management structure, product or service line, marketing strategy, financial projections, and funding requirements.

Understanding the Basics

Strikingly Website on a Laptop

To start, let's understand what is a business plan. A business plan is a written document that outlines your business's goals and how you plan to achieve them. It serves as a roadmap for your company, guiding decision-making and setting the direction for growth and success.

The purpose of a business plan is to provide a clear vision for your business and communicate that vision to potential investors, partners, and employees. It helps you articulate your strategy, identify potential challenges, and establish measurable goals.

A business plan typically includes an executive summary, company description, market analysis, organization and management structure, product or service line, marketing and sales strategy, funding request, financial projections, and an appendix with supporting documents.

Now that we've got a good grasp of why a business plan is important, let's dive into the different components that make up this crucial document. Understanding each element will help you create a comprehensive and effective business plan that sets you up for success. So, let's take a closer look at what goes into writing a business plan and how each section contributes to the overall success of your business.

Research and Analysis

Quantum Template from Strikingly

Market research is essential for business planning . It is crucial for understanding your target market, identifying customer needs, and assessing the demand for your products or services. Conducting surveys, analyzing industry reports, and gathering data on consumer behavior are crucial steps in this process.

Competition analysis involves studying your competitors' strengths and weaknesses, identifying potential threats, and finding opportunities to differentiate your business. This helps you position your products or services effectively in the market and develop strategies to gain a competitive edge.

SWOT analysis for business planning involves evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can impact your business. Identifying internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats helps make informed decisions and develop a robust business strategy.

How to Write a Business Plan

Go For Thoughts Template from Strikingly

When you write a business plan is essential for any entrepreneur or business owner. It provides a roadmap for the future of your business and helps you communicate your vision to potential investors or partners. Creating a compelling business plan can also help you identify pitfalls and opportunities, giving you a better chance at success.

Executive Summary

The executive summary is a brief overview of your business plan, covering the key points such as your company's mission, goals, and financial projections. It should be concise yet compelling, grabbing the reader's attention and giving them a clear understanding of what your business is all about.

Company Description

In this section, you'll need to provide detailed information about your company, including its history, mission statement, and legal structure. You also highlighted what sets your company apart from others in the industry and why customers should choose your products or services over those of competitors.

Products and Services

This part of the business plan outlines what you offer customers and how it fulfills their needs or solves their problems. You'll need to describe each product or service in detail, including its features, benefits, and pricing strategy. It's important to demonstrate how your offerings provide value to potential customers clearly.

Remember that creating a business plan is not just about getting funding; it's also about setting goals for yourself and building a roadmap for future success. By carefully crafting each section of your business plan with these keywords in mind - write a business plan, how to write business plan - you can ensure that it effectively communicates the value of your business and its growth potential.

Financial Projections

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When you write a business plan, it's crucial to include financial statements and projections to demonstrate your business's financial viability. This section should include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements that clearly show your company's financial health. By projecting future financial performance based on historical data and market trends, you can showcase your business's potential profitability to investors and stakeholders.

Financial Statements and Projections

In this section, you'll need to present detailed financial statements such as profit and loss, balance sheets, and cash flow projections. These documents provide an overview of your company's financial position and performance over a specific period. By including these statements in your business plan, you can give potential investors insight into how your business is expected to perform financially.

Break-even Analysis

Another essential component of financial projections is the break-even analysis, which helps you determine the point at which your total revenue equals your total costs. This analysis lets you understand how much product or service you need to sell to cover all expenses and generate profits. By including a break-even analysis in your business plan, you can demonstrate a clear understanding of your cost structure and pricing strategy.

Funding Requirements

This section outlines the funding requirements for launching or growing your business. Whether you're seeking investment from venture capitalists or applying for a small business loan, it's essential to clearly state how much funding you need and how it will be utilized within your business operations. By providing detailed information about funding requirements in your business plan, you can show potential investors that their capital will be put to good use.

Implementation and Review

After you have written your business plan, the next step is to implement it. The action plan for execution outlines the specific steps you need to take to achieve your business goals. This includes assigning responsibilities, setting deadlines, and allocating resources effectively. It's essential to have a clear roadmap for implementation to ensure that your business plan translates into real-world success.

Action Plan for Execution

Your action plan should detail the tasks that need to be completed, who will be responsible for each task, and the timeline for completion. This will help you stay organized and focused as you work towards achieving your business objectives. By breaking down larger goals into smaller actionable steps, you can make progress more manageable and trackable.

Milestones and Metrics

Setting milestones and metrics is crucial for monitoring the progress of your business plan implementation. Milestones are vital achievements or events that indicate progress toward your goals, while metrics are quantifiable measures to track performance. By establishing clear milestones and metrics, you can assess whether your business is on track and make any necessary adjustments along the way.

Regular Review and Updates

Regularly reviewing and updating your business plan is essential for keeping it relevant and effective. As your business evolves, market conditions change, or new opportunities arise, you must revisit your strategy and make necessary adjustments. By staying proactive in reviewing and updating your business plan, you can ensure that it remains a valuable tool for guiding your business toward success.

Strikingly Features for Business Planning

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Strikingly is an excellent platform for creating business plans because of its user-friendly interface and intuitive design tools. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting, Strikingly makes it easy to write a business plan that is both professional and visually appealing.

Using Strikingly for Creating Business Plans

In today's competitive business landscape, a well-crafted business plan is essential for outlining your vision, securing funding, and guiding your entrepreneurial journey. Strikingly, with its user-friendly platform and powerful features, empowers you to create comprehensive and professional business plans that effectively communicate your ideas.

• Executive Summary. Provide a concise overview of your business, including your mission, vision, products or services, target market, and financial projections. Strikingly's platform allows you to create a visually appealing executive summary.
• Market Analysis. Conduct thorough market research to understand your industry, target market, competitors, and trends. Strikingly's analytics tools can help you gather market data.
• Company Description. Clearly articulate your company's purpose, values, and unique selling proposition (USP). Strikingly's platform allows you to create a compelling company description.
• Products or Services. Detail your offerings, including their features, benefits, and pricing. Strikingly's e-commerce features can be used to showcase your products or services.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy. Outline your marketing and sales plan, including your target audience, marketing channels, and sales tactics. Strikingly's platform allows you to create landing pages and capture leads.
• Operations Plan. Describe your business operations, including your team, facilities, and supply chain.
• Financial Projections. Develop realistic financial projections, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Strikingly's integration with financial tools can help you create financial projections.
• Management Team. Introduce your management team and their qualifications. Strikingly's platform allows you to create team profiles.
• Funding Request. If seeking funding, outline your funding requirements and how the funds will be used.
• Appendix. Include supporting documents, such as resumes, permits, or licenses. Strikingly's platform allows you to upload supporting documents.

Strikingly's Advantages for Business Plan Creation

• User-Friendly Interface. Strikingly's platform is easy to use, even for those without technical expertise.
• Customizable Templates. Choose a template that aligns with your business plan's structure and create a professional presentation.
• Content Creation Tools. Easily create and edit your business plan's content, including text, images, and charts.
• Collaboration Features. Collaborate with your team members to develop and refine your business plan.
• Analytics Integration. Track your progress and measure the effectiveness of your business plan using Strikingly's analytics tools.
• Presentation Features. Create visually appealing presentations to showcase your business plan to investors or stakeholders.
• Lead Capture. Capture leads from potential investors or partners using Strikingly's lead generation forms.
• Mobile Optimization. Ensure your business plan is accessible on mobile devices, as many investors and stakeholders review plans on their smartphones or tablets.
• Scalability. As your business grows, Strikingly's platform can scale to accommodate your expanding needs.
• Customer Support. Receive assistance and support from Strikingly's dedicated customer service team.

By leveraging Strikingly's platform and following these steps, you can create a comprehensive and persuasive business plan that effectively communicates your vision and attracts the support you need to succeed. Remember, a well-crafted business plan is an essential tool for any entrepreneur.

Templates for Business Plans

Strikingly offers a variety of fully customizable business plan templates. From traditional text-based layouts to more visual, infographic-style designs, there's something for everyone. These templates provide a solid foundation and can be easily tailored to reflect your unique business concept.

Customization and Collaboration Features

One of Strikingly's standout features is its customization options, which allow you to personalize every aspect of your business plan to align with your brand identity . Additionally, the platform supports collaboration among team members or stakeholders, making it easy to gather feedback and input from others while working on your business plan.

Mannheim Template from Strikingly

As you write a business plan, remember to keep it concise and focused on your goals. Communicate your ideas effectively using clear and straightforward language. Avoid using jargon or technical terms that may confuse your audience.

When you write a business plan, it's important to highlight the unique value proposition of your business and how it will address the needs of your target market . Clearly outline your financial projections, marketing strategies, and operational plans to demonstrate the potential success of your business. Remember to regularly review and update your business plan as your company grows and evolves to ensure that it remains relevant and aligned with your goals.

Final Tips When You Write a Business Plan

Conduct thorough research and analysis to support your strategies and projections when creating a business plan. Be realistic in your financial projections and consider various scenarios to prepare for potential challenges.

Resources for Creating a Business Plan

Many online tools and templates are available to help you create a professional business plan. Look for reputable sources that offer guidance on writing different sections of the plan and examples of successful plans for reference.

After completing your business plan, it's crucial to revisit and revise it regularly to reflect changes in the market or your business environment. Track your progress and update the plan accordingly to stay aligned with your objectives.

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This is the fundraising pitch deck template you need and want, and it’s available at a crazy price, for insane value.

105 slides in Keynote and PowerPoint designed specifically for fundraising. If you suffer from ‘my deck is always ugly-itus‘ here is the cure. It’s a surefire way to knock the socks off VCs and impress with your keen eye for aesthetics.

All you need to worry about is having an awesome startup and traction to populate the pages with!

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99 Problems, Designing Your Deck Shouldn’t be One

Making your first deck and totally lost.

You weren’t born knowing everything- no one was. The fact you are struggling with your deck is 100% normal. The seed decks for Uber’s famous unicorns (yes, including Uber!) are total garbage!

To raise you need a deck. To make the deck you need to figure out what you do, how to grow, how much to raise, your market size,  go to market etc.. that is a tonne of work.

Then you have to make the deck!

Want to Just Get an Attractive Deck Done with Inspiration for Slides to Use?

“Hopefully” you figured out your business, industry, strategies and all and now you need to make your deck… only how do you structure the slides, which slides to include, and how the flarkety flark can you make the deck pretty on your tiny budget!? Ergh.

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How About Having a Tool You Can Use At a Price You Can Afford?

Designers on upwork will set you back $1k min for a deck. You can find templates on sites, but they are made by designers with no clue… so what now?

I made a template you can use now, bosh out your deck and hit the road to get investors to hand over their dosh in no time!

It’s Worth Owning One Thing That’s Good Enough

This is designed to look good, be easy to use, and give you inspiration to create slides!

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• Enough slides on all the core pitch deck sections to get your deck done
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• Each slide is designed to be easy to edit
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Who made this model?

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It’s a simple template but of course!

I love to help, especially if you’ve something tough to ask. Whether you think you found a bug, have ideas I should build in, or are confused about why I did something, you can email me and ask.

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Track and analyse your business targets in one Google Sheet that won’t piss off your staff

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These are digital goods. You can’t return them.

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You can email me or hit me up on live chat (If I’m around).

Hi. You’re on my site, I built the models.

I’ve worked at Lazard in FIG M&A (Top tier firm and team), and VC, I’ve built lots of startups, I mentor at lots of accelerators (And mentor some of the people who run them), TEDx talked, bla bla.

I’ve got more free Excel tools on my site than any other startup site and I give the stuff away that others charge for. Get some of my free stuff and tell yourself before you buy if you aren’t sure.

Yes. If someone finds an error, or I add new functionality, I send updates to everyone.

Nothing is locked, everything is editable.

Looking for Some Recommended Reading?

Here are some blogs you can check out related to this topic:

Cold Emailing Investors

Writing a Cold Email Template for Venture Capital Investors

Use Dollars in Your Startup, Especially for Your Financial Model

Learn why to use USD in your model.

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