What belongs in the opening?

Each row compares two groups of pitches: those whose opening had that element and those whose opening did not. Pitches that introduced the team closed a deal 77% of the time, against 59% without it. A personal story shows a similar gap (75% against 57%), and so do sales and customer numbers (71% against 56%).

Two elements go the other way. Pitches that spent the opening on market size closed 57% of the time, against 76% without it. Business-model talk shows the same pattern: 59% against 71%.

This is a correlation, not a cause. A team worth naming or real customer numbers usually comes with a stronger company. Still, an opening that says who you are and what you have sold gives investors something concrete to judge. A large market figure mostly gives them something to doubt.