"The most successful initial PE meetings share a counterintuitive trait: they feel less like presentations and more like a conversation over coffee. Yet founders repeatedly make the same missteps, mistaking polish for preparation and performance for partnership potential. It's not Dragon's Den. It's not a bank meeting. It's a two-way chat between people who could, if all goes well, be working together for years."
"The fastest way to drain the room is reading through a 40-slide presentation word-for-word without pausing for engagement or questions about the firm's investment approach. One investor described a technically flawless presentation that progressed no further like a bad first date "Great deck, zero chemistry or indication they'd viewed this as a potential partnership. They never once asked about our portfolio strategy or what we look for in management teams.""
Founders should make first private-equity meetings interactive and conversational to reveal decision-making and fit under pressure. Curiosity and engagement matter more than polished decks or flawless rehearsals. Technical presentation skill without questions about the investor's strategy signals a lack of partnership mindset. Small, human moments—humor, calmness when equipment fails, and an invitation to dialogue—produce deeper insights than scripted slides. Requesting an agenda or sending key questions ahead demonstrates strategic thinking and facilitates two-way exchange. Successful meetings prioritize chemistry, mutual curiosity, and evidence of long-term collaborative potential over performance.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]