The Startup Podcast

10 Fatal Pitch Style Mistakes w/ Henry Innis (Edu)


Listen Later

Crafting a winning pitch isn't just about what you say—it's about how you say it.


Founders often make stylistic mistakes that can sabotage their chances with investors, even if they have a great product or idea. What are these subtle yet critical errors, and how can you avoid them to secure the funding you need?


In this episode, Yaniv Bernstein and Chris Saad are joined by Henry Innis, Co-Founder at Mutinex, to uncover the top 10 fatal stylistic mistakes founders make in their pitches. 


They explore why these mistakes can signal inexperience or misunderstanding to potential investors and how to communicate more effectively to build trust and interest.


In this episode, you will:

  • Discover the 10 most common pitch style mistakes that can turn investors away.
  • Learn the importance of precise language and why terms like "IT" vs. "Engineering" matter.
  • Understand why a lengthy pitch deck can harm your credibility and what to include instead.
  • Find out why founder-led sales and certain "badges of honor" might be red flags.
  • Understand the dangers of describing your product as "innovative" or "revolutionary" without evidence, and learn more effective ways to communicate your unique value proposition.
  • Hear why dismissing your competition or claiming you have none can backfire your investors.
    • Gain insights into the power of clarity of thought and how it directly impacts your pitch's effectiveness.

    • Learn what investors are looking for in a pitch from firsthand stories and practical advice from Henry Innis on navigating the investor landscape.


      The Pact

      Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:

      • Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app
      • Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
      • Secure your official TSP merchandise at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.tsp.show/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
      • Follow us on YouTube at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@startup-podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
      • Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following.

      • Key links

        • The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.
        • Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
        • The Startup Podcast website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tsp.show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

        • Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

          Work 1:1 with Chris: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://chrissaad.com/advisory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

          Follow Chris on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

          Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


          Credits

          Editor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Justin McArthur⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

          Content Strategist: Carolina Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/francocarolina/

          Intro Voice: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeremiah Owyang⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

          ...more
          View all episodesView all episodes
          Download on the App Store

          The Startup PodcastBy Yaniv Bernstein, Chris Saad

          • 5
          • 5
          • 5
          • 5
          • 5

          5

          36 ratings


          More shows like The Startup Podcast

          View all
          This Week in Startups by Jason Calacanis

          This Week in Startups

          1,273 Listeners

          Startups For the Rest of Us by Rob Walling

          Startups For the Rest of Us

          696 Listeners

          a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

          a16z Podcast

          1,040 Listeners

          The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship by Omer Khan

          The SaaS Podcast - SaaS, Startups, Growth Hacking & Entrepreneurship

          182 Listeners

          The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

          The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

          519 Listeners

          Pivot by New York Magazine

          Pivot

          9,257 Listeners

          The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

          The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

          175 Listeners

          Founders by David Senra

          Founders

          1,906 Listeners

          Masters of Scale by WaitWhat

          Masters of Scale

          3,998 Listeners

          Y Combinator Startup Podcast by Y Combinator

          Y Combinator Startup Podcast

          217 Listeners

          The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

          The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

          5,414 Listeners

          The Startup Ideas Podcast by Greg Isenberg

          The Startup Ideas Podcast

          201 Listeners

          The Ben & Marc Show by Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz

          The Ben & Marc Show

          135 Listeners

          AI + a16z by a16z

          AI + a16z

          31 Listeners

          Lightcone Podcast by Y Combinator

          Lightcone Podcast

          22 Listeners