How to Make an Exit Strategy Presentation Deck [A Guide]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Oct 27, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 16
A few weeks ago, our client Jason asked us a question while we were building his exit strategy presentation deck:
“How much should I reveal without scaring off the investors?”
Our Creative Director answered, “Just enough to show you’re in control, not desperate.”
We’ve designed more exit strategy decks than we can count, across industries, geographies, and funding stages. And the one common challenge we see every time? People try to dodge the topic. They fluff it up, bury it in the appendix, or treat it like a Plan Z. But here’s the truth—if you’re raising money or prepping for acquisition, your exit strategy is not an afterthought. It’s the payoff.
So, in this blog, we’re going to show you how to build an exit strategy presentation deck that doesn’t waffle or overpromise but still gets the room nodding.
In case you didn't know, we specialize in only one thing: making presentations. We can help you by designing your slides and writing your content too.
Why You Need a Solid Exit Strategy Presentation Deck
Let’s clear something up first—an exit strategy isn’t just a polite way of saying you want to cash out.
It’s your answer to every investor’s unspoken question: How do I make my money back, and then some?
Whether you're fundraising, pitching to a potential acquirer, or aligning internally with stakeholders, your exit strategy shows one thing above all else: you’ve thought this through. You're not just building a cool product or scaling a team. You're playing the long game.
And people notice.
We've seen founders walk into meetings with incredible traction and walk out empty-handed because they couldn’t articulate how this ends—for the investor, for the board, for the acquirer. On the flip side, we've seen modest startups raise serious capital because they laid out a believable, strategic exit plan that showed maturity, not fantasy.
A solid exit strategy presentation deck does a few things really well:
It builds trust. You’re telling investors you know the rules of the game.
It reduces perceived risk. An exit plan shows you’ve mapped out the possible futures.
It differentiates you. Most people avoid the exit slide. If you own it, you stand out.
It opens real conversations. Investors don’t want fluff. They want direction.
In short, your deck isn’t just about how impressive your business is. It’s about how smart your thinking is. Show them you’ve already reverse-engineered success.
How to Make an Exit Strategy Presentation Deck
Let’s get this straight—your exit strategy slide isn’t the “Oh, we almost forgot” part at the end of the deck. If you’re treating it that way, you’re not ready to present. Your exit strategy is where you prove you’ve done more than dream. You’ve thought. You’ve calculated. You’ve planned.
So let’s break this down. We’re going to tell you exactly what goes into a great exit strategy presentation deck, slide by slide, and more importantly, what not to do.
1. Start With the End in Mind
First rule: don’t guess your way through this. Your exit isn’t a shot in the dark. It’s a likely destination.
Yes, things change. But if your vision today is foggy, no one will trust you with their money or partnership tomorrow.
You need to answer one foundational question: What is the most realistic and beneficial way this business could exit, based on who we are and what we’re building?
There are a few typical paths:
Acquisition by a strategic buyer
Merger with a competitor or adjacent business
Private equity buyout
IPO (rare, but if you’ve got the metrics, go for it)
Internal succession or management buyout
Choose the one that actually fits your business model, your industry, and your growth story. Then build around that.
2. Map the Market Landscape
Here’s where too many people go vague. “We’ll be acquired by a tech giant like Google or Apple.” Okay—but why?
A smart deck shows:
Who the potential acquirers are
Why your company fits their portfolio or fills their gap
How previous acquisitions in your space have gone down
Put in logos. Mention real transactions. Show acquisition ranges and deal terms. If Salesforce bought a company like yours for $120M, say it. If ten of your competitors have been absorbed by private equity firms, point it out.
This tells your audience that your exit isn’t wishful—it’s part of an industry trend, and your company is positioned to follow suit.
3. Timing Is Everything
You’re not exiting next year. That’s fine. But you better have a timeline in mind.
Too many founders say “in 5–7 years” because that’s what they think they’re supposed to say. Instead, think in stages.
Show your audience:
Where you are now
What milestones you need to hit (revenue, user base, partnerships, IP)
At what point you become attractive to a specific type of buyer
What indicators you’re watching to decide the right time to exit
Investors know exits aren’t linear. What they care about is whether you know when to move and when to hold.
4. Valuation Thinking
No one’s asking for your dream number. But you need to show how you think about value.
This isn’t about slapping a $100M target on the screen. It’s about building a believable case:
What are the valuation multiples in your industry?
What kind of EBITDA or revenue numbers attract acquisition offers?
How do you plan to reach those numbers?
If you’re pre-revenue, show your growth model and how that leads to the numbers that matter. If you're already generating revenue, tie it to relevant comps. Not just tech unicorns, but businesses that actually exited.
You’re not trying to guess the price tag. You’re trying to prove you understand how the game is played.
5. Strategic Fit
This slide is not for you. It’s for the potential acquirer. What’s in it for them?
This is where you talk about:
Synergies: how you fill gaps in their product line or expand their reach
Market advantage: your entry into a demographic, region, or customer base they don’t own yet
Tech/IP advantage: you’ve built something they’d spend years building
Talent: your team brings something theirs doesn’t
You’re not just showing them your growth. You’re showing them their growth—made better by absorbing you.
The more tangible this is, the better. Don’t just say “We’re a good fit for Amazon.” Say why. Say how. Point to their roadmap, their pain points, their behavior in the market.
6. Real Examples, Not Theoretical Fairy Dust
One of the smartest things you can do is show actual exit case studies in your space.
Pick 2–3 companies similar to yours and break down:
Who acquired them
When and why
Deal value (if public)
What stage they were at
What made them appealing
This tells your audience you’re operating in a real-world context. You’re not the first to do this, and you won’t be the last. But you’ve studied how others got out successfully, and you’re planning to do it better.
Side benefit? This also shows you understand your competition—and how you’re strategically positioned to outmaneuver them.
7. Risks and Roadblocks (Yes, Really)
Most decks gloss over this. They think showing risk is a weakness. But here’s the truth: naming your risks builds trust.
List out:
What could delay your exit
What would make you less attractive to acquirers
How market changes might shift your direction
Then show how you plan to mitigate those risks.
This isn’t about being pessimistic. It’s about being aware. It tells your audience you’re not wearing rose-tinted glasses—and that you’ve got contingency plans, not just dreams.
8. Internal Readiness
If an opportunity came up tomorrow, are you even ready?
This slide is for internal use too. Because operational chaos kills exits faster than a bad quarter.
Show what you're doing to stay ready:
Clean financials
Scalable processes
Solid IP protection
Legal hygiene
Founder succession plan (if applicable)
We’ve seen acquirers back out in due diligence because the data room looked like a crime scene. Don’t be that startup. Show that you’re already treating this business like it’s acquirable.
9. What You’re Looking For
Last but not least, tell your audience what kind of exit you are optimizing for. Not all exits are the same, and not all investors want the same thing.
Are you looking for:
Maximum cash return?
Strategic alignment with a bigger vision?
Long-term integration into a larger company?
A fast flip for early liquidity?
This tells investors and partners whether your philosophy aligns with theirs. And that matters more than you think. We've seen deals fall apart not because the numbers didn’t work—but because the visions did.
You don’t have to overcommit. Just be clear on your principles. If you’re building to sell, say it. If you’re building to IPO but open to acquisition, show where and why that flexibility exists.
A Few Mistakes to Avoid
Let’s wrap this section up with some common traps we’ve seen too many people fall into:
Overpromising: If your business is barely past MVP, don’t list a dozen possible exits with nine-figure valuations. Investors will check out.
Being vague: “We’ll exit when the time is right” is not a strategy. It’s avoidance.
Misaligned examples: Don’t compare yourself to companies in completely different industries or funding realities. It undermines credibility.
Copy-pasting a slide: Yes, we’ve seen people Google “exit strategy slide” and drop it in untouched. That’s not thinking. That’s homework you didn’t do.
Ignoring the audience: Your exit matters differently to investors, employees, and founders. Tailor your messaging based on who’s in the room.
Work with us
Need some assistance building your exit strategy presentation? At our agency, we specialize in designing presentations that communicate complex strategies with style and impact. Reach out to us to ensure your exit strategy presentation is as polished and persuasive as it can be.