Startup Pitch Mistakes
- Bonny Morlak
- Apr 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 11
Why Most Pitches Fail in Under 60 Seconds (And How to Fix Yours)
Let me ask you something, founder to founder:
What if your pitch isn’t being rejected because your startup isn’t good, but because you’re making classic startup pitch mistakes that break trust?
After two decades coaching founders, from bootstrapped dreamers to VC-backed builders, I’ve seen what works… and what tanks.
I’ve made the same mistakes myself. Back in 2016, I flew to San Francisco to raise a seed round. And I bombed. Spectacularly.
Not because of a bad startup. But because I tried to act how I thought they wanted me to act. Too technical. Too polished. Too fake.
So I rebuilt my pitch from scratch. And in this post, I’ll show you the top 3 startup pitch mistakes to avoid, plus the exact 3-step fix that helped me and my clients raise millions.
❌Startup Pitch Mistakes #1 – Info Overload
More detail doesn’t build trust—it buries it. You’re not there to educate. You’re there to hook.
One founder I coached had 31 slides—beautiful, thorough… and ineffective. Zero results after 12 meetings.
We cut it to 10. Clear. Visual. Punchy. He raised $2.2M in 7 weeks.
Takeaway: Don’t confuse complexity with credibility. Keep it simple. Clarity builds confidence.
❌ Startup Pitch Mistakes #2 – Pitching the Wrong Investor
VCs are not one-size-fits-all.
If you’re pre-product or pre-revenue and pitching someone who only backs late-stage scale-ups, you’re wasting your breath—and your magic.
Before pitching, ask:
What stage do you typically invest in?
What founder qualities do you look for?
What’s a red flag for you?
Find alignment before you share your story.
❌ Startup Pitch Mistakes #3 – Pitching the Product, Not the Person
Your pitch deck won’t close the deal. You will.
Investors are buying into your presence, energy, and belief. They want to know you’re the one to lead this.
When you show up real—not rehearsed—you create the emotional hook that makes people want to invest.
🎥 Watch: 3 Startup Pitch Mistakes and How to Fix Them [Dropping On Wednesday]
✅ The 3-Step Fix That Changed My Pitch Game
These 3 steps helped me land four pitch wins on three continents and a front-page feature on TechCrunch.
🔹 Step 1: Simplify Your Story
Problem → Why now → Why you Keep it founder-first and jargon-free.
🔹 Step 2: Stick to 10 Slides
The Guy Kawasaki rule still works. Don’t test their attention span—respect it.
🔹 Step 3: Practice With Friction
Practice in cafés. With real humans. In noisy places. Get pitch-fit before you’re in the room.
🧠 Rejection Isn’t the End, It’s Feedback
Rejection doesn’t mean you’re not fundable. It means your pitch didn’t land. That’s fixable.
Most startup pitch mistakes are easy to correct once you know what to look for. Own your energy. Simplify your story. And pitch with purpose.
You’ve got this. 💥
What’s Next?
📥 Download My Startup Fundraising Guide – A step-by-step playbook for raising capital the right way.
📬 Join My Weekly Newsletter! Get founder insights, funding strategies, and exclusive resources straight to your inbox.
Want more insights on building a thriving startup without burnout?
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