In the middle of an engagement, the CEO of Instamojo says this:
”You know Mohit, we have been running this business for seven, eight years, but it's only now we have understood what we really do”
Mohit Bansal is the Founder of Deck Rooster, a Chandigarh based company that conceptualises and creates startup pitch decks.
Decks that get high praise from clients:
“Don't waste two per cent on a Banker, these folks at Deck Rooster rock!”
- Ravish Naresh, CEO, KhataBook.
“Deck Rooster guys not only helped bring our story to life with visuals, but were an equal thought-partner in helping me articulate the story. Strongly recommend.”
- Vikram Chopra, Co-founder and CEO, Cars24
Deck Rooster’s clients include startups funded by Goldman Sachs, Accel Partners, Khosla Ventures, Sequoia, IDG, Blume VC, Y Combinator and other top investors.
As the Founder and chief Storyteller at Deck Rooster, Mohit has had a fascinating journey - from being fired as an intern and being terrified of public speaking… to now confidently creating decks that raise millions of dollars in funding.
In this conversation, we discuss:
- Mohit’s unique honesty and how that helps him at work
- How he uses an ‘army of referrers’ to spread the word about Deck Rooster
- His unique visual approach to crafting the pitch story
- Why it’s critical for him to find the “anchor” of the story first
- Some specific tools that he prefers to create his decks (including one by Microsoft that will surprise you!)
Links to Resources:
Deck Rooster Website: https://www.deckrooster.com/
The Steve Jobs Video mentioned in the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiXK11naSfY
For more information on Story Rules, you can check out the website or you can connect with me on LinkedIn.
Introducing Deck Rooster is India’s pre-eminent creator of Startup stories
Getting funded (or not) is not how a good pitch should be evaluated; the story should make founders feel excited and happy to put across their story
Mohit’s incredibly honest LinkedIn profile and the source of his vulnerability
How being honest with clients helps Deck Rooster get more work
Why Authenticity might hurt you in the short term, but will help you in the long run
When Mohit discovered his storytelling mojo
Getting (and servicing) the first client
The decision to focus on startup pitch decks (instead of corporate presentations)
Using lean months as an opportunity to create high-quality marketing content. The ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ concept of showcasing your skills
How Deck Rooster gets 100% of clients through referrals - by building an ‘Army of Referrers’
The approach Deck Rooster uses in its 1-hour Pitch-deck review call
How Deck Rooster approaches a full Pitch deck creation assignment
It’s ok to feel overwhelmed with a whole lot of messy information at the beginning of a project
The initial research for the Story
How to use the ‘money flow’ to understand the business
Alternating between bottom-up and top-down approach to craft the story
I summarise 2 key insights from Mohit’s points on narrative
Founders getting to know their business better through Deck Rooster!
Why Getting to the “Anchor” of the story is most critical
How to find the “Anchor” insight of the story
Creating the slides - using One Note to sketch them on the iPad
Why running your WIP slides with clients is a good idea
The need to get your client feedback to avoid unnecessary work/re-work
Creating a deck that can be used for emailing and Delivery both
Presenting technical information using analogies
How to presenting numbers - focus on the message/story
Telling human stories - highlight norm-variance
How can a Startup founder work on his/her own deck. Don’t implement a template, incorporate it into your larger story.
Storytellers that Mohit admires
Recommended books, podcasts and other content
