One of the biggest red flags in any pitch is when a founder tries to be someone they’re not. It’s quite easy to spot; most investors can see right through it.
The thing though is, often this comes from a good intention, i.e. founder trying to listen to too much advice, not because the founder is sneaky or shady.
Let’s say a founder gets the advice: “Don’t chase money, create FOMO”. She might then try too hard to follow it, putting on a “cocky face” that doesn’t really fit her personality. She thinks it was a good advice and therefore she should stick to it. The room goes real awkward real quick.
This is another reason why founders should filter advice ruthlessly and focus on being as authentic and genuine as possible, even if that sometimes means going against some of the advices they’ve received.