Ask the Collective

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.