Should you bend the truth to make your investor pitch more attractive? Answer: no.
- Some investors will find out in the meeting, they might have seen a lot of companies similar to yours and spot an inconsistency quickly by asking a few smart questions
- Most investors will find out in meeting #2 when you open up the books of the company
- The biggest reason not to: your personal brand. Integrity issues is an absolute no-go for investors (they are evaluating you as a trusted long-term business partner). And word of a tarnished personal brand is likely to stick with you beyond this fund raising round.
Should you put out all your weaknesses for everyone to see? Of course not. Tell when asked. Think about how to visualise data. Leave facts that require an elaborate explanation out of the cold email deck, you should be in the room with the investor when it comes up.
Trust is a big asset, don’t waste it.
Art: Gerrit Adriaensz. Berckheyde The bend in the Herengracht, Amsterdam, 1685