Here is a ready-to-use board presentation structure with slide-by-slide guidance. This template follows the "10-20-30 rule" for boards: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30-point font minimum.

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THE STRUCTURE: 10 Essential Slides

Slide 1: Executive Summary (The "One-Pager")

Content:

• Headline: One sentence stating the quarter's/biggest win or challenge
• 3 bullets: Financial snapshot (Revenue, EBITDA, Cash position vs. plan)
• 1 decision needed: "Board decision required today: [X]"
• Traffic light status: Green/Yellow/Red on 3 key metrics

Pro tip: Write this last, but put it first. If the board only remembers one slide, make it this one.

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Slide 2: Financial Performance vs. Budget

Content:

• Table comparing Actual vs. Budget vs. Prior Year (quarter and YTD)
• Variance explanations for >10% deviations
• Cash runway/burn rate (if applicable)

Visual: Waterfall chart showing bridge from budget to actual

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Slide 3: Key Metrics Dashboard

Content:

• 4-6 KPIs that drive the business (not vanity metrics)
• Trend lines (last 6 quarters)
• Leading indicators, not just lagging

Examples by business type:

• SaaS: MRR, Churn, CAC, LTV, NRR
• Retail: Same-store sales, Inventory turns, Gross margin
• Manufacturing: OEE, On-time delivery, Scrap rate

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Slide 4: Strategic Initiatives Progress

Content:

• 3-4 strategic priorities only (from last board meeting)
• RAG status (Red/Amber/Green) for each
• "Pivot/Kill/Invest" recommendations for stalled initiatives

Format: Gantt chart or simple traffic light table

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Slide 5: Market/Competitive Update

Content:

• One insight about market shift (not "everything")
• Competitor move that affects your strategy
• Customer segment showing growth/decline

Visual: 2x2 matrix or simple trend arrow

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Slide 6: Operational Deep Dive (Rotating Topic)

Content:

• Rotate monthly: Sales pipeline this month, Product roadmap next, Operations the following
• Problem + Solution + Resource needs
• Customer quote or case study (humanizes data)

Rule: If you cover everything, you cover nothing. Pick one area to go deep.

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Slide 7: Risk Register (Top 3 Only)

Content:

Board expectation: You should bring solutions, not just problems.

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Slide 8: Capital Allocation/Use of Funds

Content:

• Where cash went this quarter
• ROI on major investments made
• Burn rate projection (next 2 quarters)
• Funding needs (if applicable)

Critical: Connect every dollar spent to strategic priorities from Slide 4.

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Slide 9: The Ask (Decisions Required)

Content:

• Separate "For information" vs. "For decision"
• Specific motion wording: "I move that the Board approves [specific dollar amount] for [specific purpose]"
• Options analysis (if complex): Option A vs. B with trade-offs

Format: Clear call-out box: "RESOLUTION REQUIRED"

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Slide 10: Appendix Navigator

Content:

• 3-4 backup slides you might need
• "Deep dive available on: [X, Y, Z]"
• Contact info for follow-up

Actually include in appendix: Detailed financials, Org chart changes, Technical architecture, Compliance audit summary

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SPEAKER NOTES TEMPLATE

For every slide, include this structure in your notes:

1. Context (15 seconds): "Why does this matter?"
2. Insight (30 seconds): "What does the data tell us?"
3. Action/Implication (15 seconds): "What are we doing about it?"

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DESIGN RULES FOR BOARDS

Do:

• Use company template, minimal branding
• One idea per slide
• Page numbers (Board members reference "Slide 7" during debate)
• Large fonts (minimum 24pt, ideally 30pt)
• White space > Clutter

Don't:

• Animation/transitions (distracting, unprofessional)
• "Boiling the ocean" (80 slides)
• Jargon without explanation
• Surprises in the meeting (send deck 48 hours prior)

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PRE-MEETING CHECKLIST

• 48 hours before: Send deck + detailed financials in appendix
• 24 hours before: Call key board members for "pre-wiring" on controversial items (Slide 9)
• Morning of: Print 3 physical copies (Chair, Secretary, one backup)
• Arrive early: Test projector, have offline version ready

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TIME ALLOCATION (60-minute meeting)

• 0-5 min: Executive summary (Slide 1-2)
• 5-20 min: Financial review (Slide 2-3) [Expect questions here]
• 20-35 min: Strategy & Operations (Slide 4-6)
• 35-50 min: The Ask/Resolutions (Slide 9) [Most important]
• 50-60 min: Closed session (CEO/Board only, no management)

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What type of board presentation are you preparing? (Quarterly review, fundraising approval, strategic pivot, M&A transaction?) I can provide specific slide examples and speaker notes tailored to your situation.

Also: Do you need help with the financial modeling for Slide 2, or are you struggling more with storytelling the "Ask" on Slide 9?

Creating a high-impact board presentation requires balancing high-level strategy with enough data to build trust. A board of directors wants to know three things: How are we doing? Where are we going? What do we need to decide?

Below is a step-by-step structure for a standard 10–12 slide board deck, followed by practical tips for design and delivery.

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Step 1: The Essential Slide-by-Slide Structure

1. Title Slide & Agenda

• Content: Company name, date, and meeting purpose.
• Action: List the top 3–5 items to be discussed so directors can mentally prepare for the "big decisions" at the end.

2. Executive Summary (The "State of the Union")

• Content: A high-level overview of the last quarter/period.
• Action: Highlight 3 wins and 2 major challenges. Use bullet points. If a board member only reads this slide, they should understand the health of the company.

3. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Content: A dashboard showing 4–6 metrics (e.g., Revenue Growth, Customer Acquisition Cost, Churn Rate, Burn Rate).
• Action: Use a "Traffic Light" system (Green/Yellow/Red) to show if you are hitting targets. Compare current performance against the previous year or quarter.

4. Financial Performance

• Content: P&L summary, Cash Flow, and Runway.
• Action: Use simple bar charts. Do not paste a spreadsheet here. Highlight any significant variances from the budget and explain why they happened.

5. Strategic Roadmap & Milestones

• Content: What did you promise last time, and what did you deliver?
• Action: Show a timeline. If a project is delayed, explain the pivot or the resource constraint.

6. Departmental Deep Dive (Sales/Marketing/Product)

• Content: Focus on the engine of growth.
• Action: For Sales, show the "Pipeline Funnel." For Product, show the "Feature Roadmap." Limit this to one slide unless a specific department is underperforming.

7. Market & Competitive Landscape

• Content: Any shifts in the industry or new moves by competitors.
• Action: This shows the board you are looking "outside the building" and not just internally focused.

8. Organizational Health & Talent

• Content: Key hires made, turnover rates, or culture survey results.
• Action: Boards care about the "People" risk. If you are missing a key executive (CFO, CTO), mention the hiring progress.

9. Risks and Mitigations

• Content: Honest assessment of what could go wrong (Legal, Regulatory, Market, Financial).
• Action: Being transparent builds massive credibility. Never hide a "Red" metric or a looming risk.

10. The "Ask" / Key Decisions Needed

• Content: What do you need the board to vote on or advise on?
• Action: Be explicit. "We are seeking approval for the 2024 Budget" or "We need a decision on the Tier-2 Market expansion."

11. Appendix

• Content: Detailed spreadsheets, customer testimonials, or technical specs.
• Action: Keep the main deck lean. Move anything that invites "rat-holing" (getting lost in the details) to the Appendix.

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Step 2: Design and Format Best Practices

• The 10/20/30 Rule: No more than 10 slides, spoken for no more than 20 minutes, and use at least 30-point font.
• One Idea Per Slide: If a slide has two charts and three paragraphs of text, it’s too busy.
• Pre-read Policy: Send the deck 48 to 72 hours in advance. The meeting should be for discussion, not for the board to read your slides for the first time.
• Consistent Visuals: Use your brand colors. Clean, professional layouts signal that the management team is organized.

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Step 3: Managing the Meeting (Actionable Tips)

1. Don't read the slides: Assume they’ve read the pre-read. Spend 10% of the time presenting and 90% of the time discussing.
2. Control the clock: If a board member gets stuck on a minor detail on Slide 3, politely move them along: "That's a great point; let's take that offline so we can ensure we have time for the budget vote at the end."
3. Take Minutes: Ensure someone is assigned to record decisions and "Action Items."

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How can I make this more relevant for you?

To help you refine this further, I need a little more context:

• What is the "vibe" of your board? (e.g., Are they hands-on/operational, or high-level/investor-focused?)
• Is there a specific "Big Ask" or challenge you are presenting in this upcoming meeting?
• Would you like a template for a specific slide, such as the Financial Dashboard or the Risk Matrix?