July 21, 2025
Let’s get something straight right out of the gate: PowerPoint is not the problem.
Your slides aren’t too blue, your bullet points aren’t too bulleted, and your font isn’t that bad (okay, unless it’s Comic Sans, in which case: stop).
The real problem? Your pitch is broken.
Now, before you get defensive, let me say, I’ve been there too. I’ve cooked up more than my fair share of Frankenstein decks, slapped together the night before a pitch with 47 slides, 6 different font sizes, and a bunch of graphics that somehow made sense at 1 a.m. But here’s what I’ve learned (the hard way): tools don’t make you better. Clarity does.
And clarity doesn’t come from switching from PowerPoint to the latest AI-powered slide whisperer.
PowerPoint (aka PPT, aka the OG of slide decks) is like that reliable old spatula in your kitchen drawer. Everyone has one. It’s been around forever. And while it might not be exciting or sexy, it gets the job done.
So why does it get so much hate? Because it’s easy to use poorly.
It’s not PowerPoint’s fault that some people turn it into a 60-slide novella with 18 graphs per slide. That’s like blaming a spatula for burning your eggs. The truth is, most founders and most business folks in general, don’t suffer from a PowerPoint problem.
They suffer from communication problems.
Investors don’t write checks for clever animations or slick transitions. They invest in teams with vision, execution, and a clearly articulated value prop.
But too many founders fall into what I call The Slide Trap™: obsessing over design tweaks, new tools, and cool templates, instead of tightening the story.
Yes, you need slides. Yes, they should look professional.
But no, switching to the latest AI presentation tool won’t magically make your business idea make sense.
Sure.
There are dozens, probably hundreds of new presentation tools out there right now promising to make your life easier and your pitch prettier. Tools like Gamma, Beautiful.ai, Tome, and yes, Twistly, which is a slick little AI presentation maker add-in that enhances PowerPoint itself with automation and smart design recommendations, and even helps you easily translate PPT with AI-powered features. So yeah, there’s innovation happening.
But here’s the deal: Using a smarter tool doesn’t mean you have a smarter pitch.
Let me put it this way: if you handed a Michelin-star chef a rusty fork, they’d still make magic. If you gave me the fanciest ergonomic, AI-designed, 3D-printed cutlery set in the world, I’d still overcook the steak.
Presentation tools are just that - tools. They can support your message, but they won’t create it. And more importantly, they won’t rescue you from unclear thinking or a confusing narrative.
I’m glad you asked. It’s not magic. It’s just work. Real, unsexy work that avoids the common mistakes so many entrepreneurs make early on, and looks a lot like this:
What problem are you solving? Who cares? Why now?
If you can’t answer those questions without a single slide, you’re not ready to make a deck.
Good decks have a flow. They tell a story.
Pain → Solution → Market → Model → Traction → Team → Ask.
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just make your version of that wheel tight, punchy, and clear.
Simple, clean visuals. One idea per slide. No full paragraphs unless you’re writing a screenplay.
Pro tip: If your slide needs to be read to be understood, it’s not a slide, it’s a document.
The best presenters don’t wing it. They rehearse. Not to sound robotic, but to be clear, confident, and in control.
Presentation is performance. Would you go on stage without rehearsing your lines?
Let’s be real. AI is here to stay. And it can be helpful.
Need a jumpstart on slide content? AI can draft it. Need design help? Tools like Twistly can make your deck look more professional in less time.
PowerPoint itself is getting smarter, too, suggesting layouts and generating visuals.
But AI can’t make decisions for you. It won’t tell you that your product-market fit is weak. It won’t magically sharpen your story. It definitely won’t answer investor questions when the pressure’s on.
Use AI for the assist, but not as a crutch.
If you’re spending hours looking for the perfect new deck tool and only 10 minutes thinking about your actual message, you’ve already lost.
A clear message, confidently delivered, beats a beautiful mess every time.
Want to stand out in your next investor meeting? Don’t switch tools. Switch your mindset.
Start with:
Then build your slides around that.
At the end of the day, PowerPoint is just a fork.
Gamma, Beautiful.ai, Twistly? They’re all forks too, maybe shinier, maybe more ergonomic, but still just utensils.
You’re the chef.
And if your pitch isn’t landing, don’t buy a new fork. Work on the recipe. Work on the story. Work on becoming the kind of communicator investors believe in.
Because the truth is, whether you’re pitching on stage or writing a business book, success comes down to how clearly you communicate your message, not the tools you use to deliver it.
No, the article explains that PowerPoint itself is not the issue. The real problem often lies with poor communication and an unclear pitch, not the software.
The Slide Trap™ refers to founders obsessing over design tweaks, new tools, and fancy templates, rather than concentrating on refining their core story and value proposition.
While new AI tools can assist with design and content generation, they won't magically make a weak business idea or confusing narrative clear. They are merely tools, not a substitute for a strong message.
A great pitch starts with the 'why', has a clear structure, uses design to support rather than distract, and is thoroughly rehearsed for confident delivery.
AI can help by drafting slide content and suggesting design layouts. However, it cannot make strategic decisions, sharpen your core story, or answer investor questions under pressure. It's an assist, not a complete solution.
Founders should focus on their message, ensuring it's clear and confidently delivered. They should consider what they want the audience to remember, feel, and do next, building their slides around these objectives.
