(Courtesy of Papa) Avoid disappointing investor pitches not committing one of the most common mistakes. Focus on telling a captivating story that doesn't get bogged down in quotes or stats. Keep it short and don't shy away from addressing your competition. Pitching investors in the hopes of landing funding is a stressful but necessary task when scaling your startup. You can make the process less taxing by ensuring your pitch deck is not overly complicated or too long, two of the most common mistakes entrepreneurs make in their decks. Insider spoke with successful entrepreneurs and investors to gather the five most common mistakes founders make when presenting their pitch decks. They suggested ways to avoid or repair these critical errors, which could cost you millions.