Ask the Collective
The questions independent drinks founders ask most — answered. Distilled from years of community knowledge so the good stuff never disappears in the feed again.
Should pitch decks be created in-house or with external design help?
Most members take a hybrid approach depending on the deck's purpose and how frequently it needs updating. **In-house creation** works well for sales decks that change often, giving you full control and flexibility. **External design support** is worth considering for investment pitches (SEIS/EIS), where visual polish matters to investors. Members recommend: - **Beautiful AI** — praised for making decks look polished - **Canva** — members noted it's a great option for creating professional-looking slides - **Freelance designers** — several members worked with external designers to handle the visual design while keeping core content control **Albatrans** was mentioned as helpful for template work. The consensus: write the core content yourself (you understand the narrative best), but consider bringing in a designer for investor-facing decks where presentation quality directly affects credibility.
Which designers can create investor pitch decks that are clean, professional and affordable?
Members recommend a small number of trusted designers who specialise in investor decks and offer good value: - **Tim Davies** — praised for designing investor decks across multiple members' projects. Gets the brief, produces clean work, and is noted as affordable. - **Jimmy at We are Noisy** — recommended as another option for pitch deck design. Members emphasise clarifying the scope upfront (investor deck specifically, rather than broader branding or label work) to get accurate quotes and timelines.