financial model
Build or rebuild the operating model, revenue and cost drivers, cash runway, capital requirement, use of proceeds and downside case.
investor readiness · built with founders
build the case,before the pitch.
Pier 48 prepares companies for serious investor conversations by aligning the financial model, capital plan, investment narrative and founder delivery.
the engagement
one focused sprint. one coherent investor case.
The Investor Readiness Sprint takes the materials a founder already has, corrects the gaps that weaken credibility and produces a case that can withstand investor scrutiny.
2 to 3 weeks
A defined build with a clear start, delivery point and final founder rehearsal.
$12,500
Fixed-fee scope. Complex models and multi-entity work are priced separately.
fixed fee
Pier 48 is paid for the work, not a percentage of the capital raised.
what we build
the numbers, narrative and pitch move together.
The objective is not a prettier deck. It is an investment case where the operating assumptions, capital request and founder explanation reinforce one another.
investor narrative
Define why this company, why now, why this team, what investors must believe and what the proposed capital changes.
pitch architecture
Restructure the deck so each slide advances one deliberate argument and the evidence arrives in the order an investor needs it.
founder preparation
Rehearse the company explanation, model walkthrough, capital plan, difficult questions and follow-up so the founder can defend the case without drifting from it.
the deck, model and founder have to tell the same story.
the method
diagnose. build. package. prepare.
Every engagement follows the same operating sequence. That keeps the work rigorous, limits avoidable revision cycles and makes the final materials easier to defend.
diagnose
Review the business, current materials, financing objective and investor audience. Identify the few inconsistencies with the highest consequence.
build
Reconstruct the assumptions, model the scenarios, define the capital need and test whether the raise reaches a meaningful milestone.
package
Turn the model into a clear investment narrative, pitch structure, use-of-proceeds schedule and investor Q&A.
prepare
Run the founder through the real conversation, challenge weak answers and revise the materials until the numbers and spoken case remain aligned.
what arrives
the working materials for the raise.
The precise scope depends on the company, but the standard sprint is built around the outputs below.
operating model
An integrated, scenario-ready model with clear drivers, checks and outputs an investor can interrogate.
capital plan
Runway, financing requirement, use of proceeds and the operating milestone the raise is intended to reach.
investment narrative
A written case that connects the market, product, traction, economics, team and capital request.
pitch materials
A rebuilt deck or precise deck architecture, including the slides and evidence that need to change.
investor Q&A
The likely objections, diligence questions, evidence gaps and model-based answers the founder must be ready to give.
founder rehearsal
Two working sessions with direct feedback on clarity, sequencing, credibility and command of the financial case.
see the standard before you engage.
The sample review uses a synthetic company. It shows the level of diagnosis, model scrutiny and narrative correction Pier 48 applies without presenting fictional client outcomes.
sample review · synthetic company
three gaps that weaken an otherwise credible raise.
This example is synthetic. It shows the first diagnostic layer Pier 48 applies without implying a client result.
the raise has no milestone.
The deck says the capital funds growth. The model never defines the operating state the raise is meant to reach or why that state makes the next financing less risky.
the revenue ramp outruns sales capacity.
The forecast assumes a step-change in bookings without the pipeline, headcount or implementation capacity required to support it.
the deck and model describe different buyers.
The narrative targets enterprise customers while the revenue base, sales cycle and contract value still reflect a mid-market business.
fit
built for credible companies with an avoidable preparation gap.
Pier 48 is most useful when the business is real, the founder knows it deeply and the fundraising case has not yet caught up with the quality of the company.
good fit
- Preparing for a pre-seed, seed or growth financing process.
- A model exists but does not clearly support the capital request.
- The deck and operating assumptions tell different versions of the company.
- The founder needs a serious counterpart, not generic pitch coaching.
not the mandate
- Investor placement, securities solicitation or broker-dealer activity.
- A guarantee that a company will secure financing.
- Legal, tax, audit or accounting opinions.
- Cosmetic deck design without the underlying financial and strategic work.
the founder
direct work. no handoff.
Every engagement is led directly by Brandon Short from the first review through the final rehearsal.
Brandon is a former J.P. Morgan private banker and financial analyst with experience building models, evaluating complex capital decisions and preparing client-facing strategic materials.
Pier 48 exists to give founders the same standard of financial discipline, narrative clarity and meeting preparation expected in serious capital conversations.
banking, credit and financial analysis
founder-to-founder, start to finish
Los Angeles and San Francisco
request a review
send the current materials. start with the real gaps.
Share where the company stands, the amount being raised and what currently feels least defensible. Pier 48 will respond with the next useful conversation, not a generic sales call.