The assumptions, structure and detail that diligence teams look for; and the mistakes that lose the room.
Every founder builds a model. Few build one investors trust. The difference is rarely the headline numbers; it's the discipline underneath them.
Start with a genuine three-statement model where the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow actually tie together. Investors test this quickly, and a model that doesn't balance signals a team that doesn't know its numbers cold.
Make your assumptions explicit and defensible. Every growth rate, margin and cost driver should trace back to something; historical performance, a comparable, or a clearly stated rationale. Bury assumptions inside formulas and you lose the ability to defend them under questioning.
Finally, build for scenarios. Diligence teams want to see the downside as much as the upside. A model that shows you understand the range of outcomes; and still has a path to returns; is what turns a pitch into a term sheet.
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