The 9 Most Common Pitch Deck Mistakes We See (All the Time)

Thoughts from Alex Flynn, Co-founder at Deck Doctors, Investing in Startups at Gutcheck Ventures.

At The Deck Doctor, we review countless pitch decks. And again and again, we see the same mistakes—some controversial, others painfully obvious. Regardless, all of them hurt your chances of successfully raising venture capital as an early-stage founder.

Fundraising is competitive. If you’re making any of these 9 mistakes, you’re likely leaving a poor impression on early-stage investors reviewing dozens of decks daily. So let's walk through what these mistakes are, why they matter, and how you can avoid them. Let’s dive in.

1. The Mission Slide That Says Nothing

We used to build mission slides for clients, but over time, we found they rarely moved the needle, especially for early-stage founders. If your mission statement is vague, buzzword-filled, or confusing (e.g., “empowering the guardians of mental health with the information they need to protect our society”), it’s not helping your case. Investors don’t need lofty slogans. Instead, weave your mission into the team slide or use it to reinforce founder-market fit. Avoid standalone mission slides unless they’re genuinely meaningful and clearly articulated.

2. SaaS Pricing Slides That Say Too Little

Yes, investors want to know how you’ll make money, but dropping a copy-paste pricing grid from your website won’t cut it. Pricing slides that don't speak to ACV, expansion potential, upsell strategies, or long-term monetization leave out the bigger picture. Differentiate between your pricing model and your business model. Focus on how your revenue strategy evolves as you grow, not just what it costs today.

3. Bad AI Images (and Worse: 2007 Stock Photos)

Lately, we’ve seen a rise in AI-generated images that just look... off. If your visuals feel obviously fake or low-quality (e.g., a child floating awkwardly in space), it undercuts the professionalism of your deck. Use AI responsibly—make sure it's on-brand, relevant, and polished. And please: skip the cliché stock photos (like handshakes in front of skyscrapers). They scream outdated.

4. Slides That Should Have Been a Doc

Pitch decks are visual storytelling tools. If you're cramming in paragraphs of dense text, you're misusing the format. Slides overloaded with text, inconsistent fonts, and poor hierarchy confuse the viewer. You've lost me if I have to squint to find the key stat (like “68% of U.S. households own a pet”). Instead, highlight the one insight per slide you want remembered, and design around that.

5. Feature-Based Competition Slides

Founders love feature comparison tables, but they're often counterproductive in an investor deck. Why? Because they're clearly cherry-picked. Instead, differentiate based on approach, incentives, strategy, or market position. What can you do long-term that others can’t replicate with a quick feature add?

6. Unnecessary Slide Builds

Slides that “build” across multiple pages—where a new piece of info appears with each click—often waste space and time. Unless each build adds meaningful, different content, keep it all on one slide. Investors don’t want more slides. They want clearer slides.

7. Team Slides With No Faces

This one’s simple: put your headshots in the deck. The process is deeply human, especially in early-stage VC. If I can’t see who you are, you’ve removed an essential element of connection.

8. Spelling Errors

Nothing says “I didn’t double-check this” like a spelling mistake in your investor materials. Proofread. Then proofread again.

9. No Narrative Headlines

The #1 most common—and damaging—mistake: slide titles that say nothing. Generic headers like “Problem” or “Solution” force investors to read the entire slide just to understand the point. Instead, use narrative headlines that summarize the key takeaway (e.g., “Pet ownership is driving a $100B+ market opportunity”). Make it skimmable. Lead with the insight.

Final Thought

A great pitch deck signals your clarity, professionalism, and ability to communicate. Avoid these 9 pitfalls; you’ll already be ahead of most founders vying for attention in a crowded investor inbox.