blog 2 Minutes
I was browsing the website formerly known as Twitter and saw this post by Trung Phan and it got me comparing it to cybersecurity. Or as my friend Thom Langford would say, “that’s the sound of the analogy snapping as you stretched it way beyond its limits.”
But setting aside Thom’s uncalled for comments (and his comments are always uncalled for), is it time to rethink everything you thought you knew about pitch decks?
Picture the scene: Mid-1980s, James Cameron is trying to convince Hollywood execs to greenlight a sequel to “Alien.” You might expect him to arrive armed with a 50-page treatment, storyboards, and perhaps a prototype xenomorph puppet. Instead, Cameron, in a move that would make minimalists weep with joy, simply scribbled “Alien$” on a piece of paper.
That’s it. No fancy fonts, no animated transitions, no pie charts showing potential market share of face-huggers. Just five letters and a symbol that speaks the universal language of Hollywood: cold, hard cash.
In the world of startups and film pitches, many fall victim to the “more is more” mentality. Decks get stuffed with every feature, every market projection, and every “unique” selling point imaginable. It’s akin to cramming an entire zoo into a studio apartment – sure, there’s variety, but the result is chaos and the lingering smell of elephant.
Meanwhile, while countless hours are spent creating the Sistine Chapel of pitch decks, the James Camerons of the world are turning napkin doodles into multi-million dollar franchises. It’s enough to make one consider swapping that MacBook Pro for a notepad and a sharpie. (not that I would because not even I can read my own handwriting)
Let’s zoom in on that “$” for a moment. Cameron didn’t just write “Aliens” – he wrote “Alien$.” It’s as if he reached through time, grabbed an emoji, and slapped it on paper before emojis were even a concept.
Is this what all those CISO’s mean when they say we need to speak the language of the board? It’s not about art, legacy, or passion projects featuring sentient toasters in love. It’s about the money!
I’m hoping some startup takes this advice seriously and turns up to an investor meeting, or an analyst briefing with nothing more than emojis and currency symbols (Actually, that’s not a bad idea – dibs on pitching the next big social media app using only 🍑💰🚀)
The real lesson here is about the power of simplicity and knowing your audience. Cameron didn’t need to explain the entire plot of “Aliens” – he just needed to remind the execs that the first one made bank, and this one would make even more.
Next time you’re sweating over a pitch deck, remember: sometimes, all you need is a dollar sign and a dream. And maybe a xenomorph or two. But mostly the dollar sign.
*Disclaimer: I took Trung’s post at face value and quickly realised I should validate the legend of Cameron, and it checks out according to this article.
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