Get Backed: Craft Your Story, Build the Perfect Pitch Deck, and Launch the Venture of Your Dreams

Description

Now that you have your big idea, how will you find and convince your first investor? You need a pitch deck, of course-the perfect set of slides to convince investors to back you and your venture. But a pitch deck isn't merely a business plan put into PowerPoint-nor does a pitch deck magically turn into investor capital. Pitch decks are artifacts that communicate the vision and competence of the founder and can be used as part of an investor road show to raise capital. In Get Backed, Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis-two veterans of the start-up world-will show you how to create a compelling pitch deck and how to plan and execute a fundraising road show to garner financial support for your business. Authoritative, instructive, and visually compelling, Get Backed will help you not only raise your first million but also think more clearly about your vision, your company, and your relationships.

Evan Baehr is the cofounder of Able, a tech company committed to growing the "fortune five million" small businesses around the United States with collaborative, low-interest loans. He's worked at the White House, a hedge fund, and Facebook and is a graduate of Princeton, Yale, and Harvard Business School. Evan Loomis loves helping startups launch and raise capital, mentoring entrepreneurs through Techstars and Praxis. He heads up Corporate Strategy at Corinthian Health Services, and is the Founder of Tradecraft, a venture fund and consultancy for high growth businesses. His first startup was TreeHouse, a first-of-its-kind home improvement store specializing in performance and design. Evan also cofounded a national angel investment group called Wedgwood Circle. Evan got his start on Wall Street after graduating from Texas A&M University. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Brandi, and their son, Ward.

"That book, I think, does an excellent job of covering a good framework for how to do a presentation," -- Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars, and managing director of the Foundry Group; as seen in Inc. ADVANCE PRAISE for Get Backed: "Telling the right story in a compelling way is the key to connecting with your audience. In Get Backed, Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis show how to craft your message to build the relationships that will sustain your business (and maybe your life too)." --Nancy Duarte, CEO, Duarte Design; author, slide:ology and HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations "When entrepreneurs start with just a dream, they need a great story to grab investors' attention. Get Backed shows how to turn a pitch deck into the stuff of legends." --Thomas R. Eisenmann, Howard H. Stevenson Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School "When I gave my first pitch as founder of 3Com, Steve Jobs insisted I buy an Apple II to run VisiCalc to produce my pre-PowerPoint 35mm deck! Needless to say, things have come a long way since then. For the modern era, Get Backed is the definitive guide for crafting your pitch and raising capital for your venture." --Bob Metcalfe, cofounder, 3Com "Get Backed is the essential guide to launching a company--not only raising money, but also raising relationships. If you're a founder or an entrepreneur, this book has the tools you need to succeed." --Adam Grant, Professor of Management, the Wharton School; New York Times bestselling author, Give and Take "This book delivers completely new and refreshing ideas on how to raise money and build genuine relationships with investors." --David Cohen, cofounder and Managing Partner, Techstars "The best way to solve the world's most pressing problems is to start a company. This book shows you how." --John Mackey, cofounder and Co-CEO, Whole Foods Market; coauthor, Conscious Capitalism "The ability to get a startup funded is a crucial test for a founder. It pulls together all of the larger requirements of the job--crafting a clear vision, laying out a clear execution path, and cultivating relationships above money. Evan Baehr and Evan Loomis have created a field guide to help the best founders get the funding they deserve for their disruptive ideas." --Mike Maples Jr., cofounder and Partner, Floodgate; investor, Twitter "Even the best business plan will fail if you can't pitch it well. Read this book to make sure you can." --Blake Masters, cofounder, Judicata; coauthor (with Peter Thiel), Zero to One "Successful companies grow out of strong communities. This guide helps you raise friends, partners, and investors--the ultimate community to make your venture succeed." --Tommy Leep, Chief Connector, Rothenberg Ventures "Founders envision how the world can be different--and invite others to join that vision by telling stories of hope, failure, triumph, and a better future. Get Backed is the definitive primer on how founders ought to tell these stories." --James K. A. Smith, Professor of Philosophy, Calvin College; author, Desiring the Kingdom "Finally, a book by people who have actually done it! Get Backed is a staple for any startup library. It was our handbook for raising capital for our venture--and it will do the same for you!" --Laura and Ben Harrison, cofounders, Jonas Paul Eyewear