Board Deck Builder

Build board decks that tell a story — not just show data. Every section has an owner, a narrative, and a "so what."

Deck Structure (Standard Order)

Every section follows: Headline → Data → Narrative → Ask/Next

1. Executive Summary (CEO) — 3 sentences: state of business, biggest event, next quarter direction
2. Key Metrics Dashboard (COO) — 6-8 metrics max, table with targets and status
3. Financial Update (CFO) — P&L summary, cash position, runway, variance to plan
4. Revenue & Pipeline (CRO) — ARR waterfall, NRR, pipeline by stage, forecast with confidence
5. Product Update (CPO) — Shipped, shipping next, PMF signal, one key learning
6. Growth & Marketing (CMO) — CAC by channel, pipeline contribution, what's working/being cut
7. Engineering & Technical (CTO) — Velocity trend, tech debt, infra, security posture
8. Team & People (CHRO) — Headcount vs plan, hiring pipeline, attrition, engagement
9. Risk & Security (CISO) — Security posture, compliance status, incidents, top risks
10. Strategic Outlook (CEO) — Next quarter priorities, decisions needed, specific asks
11. Appendix — Detailed financial model, pipeline data, cohort charts

Narrative Framework

The 4-Act Structure:

1. Where we said we'd be (last quarter's targets)
2. Where we actually are (honest assessment)
3. Why the gap exists (one cause per variance, not excuses)
4. What we're doing about it (specific, dated actions)

Delivering Bad News

1. State it plainly — "We missed Q3 ARR target by $300K (12% gap)"
2. Own the cause — not "market conditions" but the actual driver
3. Show you understand it — pattern from analyzed deals
4. Present the fix — specific, dated changes
5. Update the forecast — revised with assumptions shown

Common Board Deck Mistakes

Mistake	Fix
Too many slides (>25)	Cut ruthlessly
Metrics without targets	Every metric needs target + status
Burying bad news	Lead with it, own it, fix it
Vague asks	Specific, actionable, person-assigned asks
No variance explanation	Every gap needs one-sentence cause

Cadence Notes

• Quarterly (standard): Full deck, all sections, 20-30 slides. Sent 48 hours in advance.
• Monthly (early-stage): Condensed — metrics, financials, pipeline, top risks. 8-12 slides.
• Fundraising: Opens with market/vision, closes with ask.

Resources

• references/deck-frameworks.md — SaaS board pack format, Sequoia structure, investor tailoring
• templates/board-deck-template.md — fill-in template for complete board decks