How a Side Hustler Earns 5500 Monthly as a Freelance Pitch Deck Writer

Lucas: So Luna, we've covered a lot of freelancing niches on this show, but today I want to bring up one that feels both very specific and surprisingly broad — pitch deck writing. Luna: Pitch decks? Like the slides startups use to raise money? I wasn't aware that was a whole freelance category. Lucas: Oh, it's huge. And it's not just about making pretty slides. It's about distilling a business idea into a narrative that convinces investors to write a check. We talked to Sarah, a former marketing manager, who turned this into a side hustle pulling in around five and a half thousand dollars a month. Luna: That's impressive. So how did she get started? I imagine a lot of people don't even know this exists. Lucas: Exactly. Sarah fell into it almost by accident. She was working at a tech startup, and the founder was struggling to put together a deck for an investor meeting. She offered to help, and he loved the result. Then a friend at another startup asked for help, and it snowballed from there. Luna: So it was basically word of mouth. But I'm curious — what does a pitch deck writer actually do? Is it all about design? Lucas: Not at all. In fact, Sarah says the design is maybe twenty percent of the job. The core is storytelling and structure. You need to understand the business, the market, the competition, and then craft a logical flow that answers the big questions investors have. The visual part is just making that story clear. Luna: So it's more like a business consultant with a design side hustle. Lucas: Yeah, kind of. She spends a lot of time interviewing the founder, digging into their numbers, and then she maps out the narrative arc. The most common mistake she sees is founders cramming every detail into the deck. They think more information equals more credibility, but it actually dilutes the message. Luna: I've seen that. A million bullet points and you lose the plot. So what's the typical project structure for her? How long does it take and what does she charge? Lucas: A typical project runs two to three weeks, and she charges a flat fee — usually between two and three thousand dollars. That includes the strategy session, the narrative outline, and the actual deck, with a couple of rounds of revisions. She usually has two to three projects going at once, which gets her to that steady five thousand plus monthly. Luna: Wow, that's a solid side income. But it sounds like a serious time commitment. How does she balance that with a full-time job? Lucas: That's the tricky part. She's still working as a marketing manager, so she only takes on projects she can handle without burning out. She learned to scope her work well. Most of her projects are with early-stage startups that don't need a lot of hand-holding. She also uses templates for the initial structure, which saves a ton of time. Luna: Templates make sense. But isn't every startup different? How do you template something so customized? Lucas: You template the framework, not the content. She has a standard flow: problem, solution, market size, business model, traction, team, and the ask. That skeleton stays the same, but the actual story is completely unique. She also has a library of slide layouts she can mix and match, which cuts down the design work. Luna: So the real value is in the story, not the design. I can see why founders would pay for that. Lucas: Absolutely. And it's a skill that's very learnable, but it requires a certain mindset. You have to be curious, able to ask tough questions, and comfortable with ambiguity. Not everyone is wired for that. Luna: What kind of questions does she ask in those initial calls? I imagine she's trying to surface the real story behind the pitch. Lucas: She starts with the basics: what problem are you solving, who's your customer, and why you? But then she digs deeper. She asks about the team's background, what they've learned so far, and what they'd do differently. That's where the authentic narrative comes from — it's not just a list of features. Luna: It sounds like she's almost like a therapist for startups. Lucas: That's not a bad analogy. And it's one reason why her clients love her. They feel heard and understood. The deck becomes a reflection of their vision, not just a sales document. Luna: I love that. And it's probably why she gets referrals so easily. Speaking of which, how does she market herself? Is word of mouth enough? Lucas: Word of mouth is her main channel, but she also posts on LinkedIn about common pitch deck mistakes. That gets her visibility with founders and investors. She says that's led to a few inbound inquiries every month, which is more than enough to fill her pipeline. Luna: She's essentially building a personal brand. That's smart. And it keeps her from having to pitch for every project. Lucas: Exactly. And she's selective about who she works with. She turns down projects if she doesn't believe in the business or if the founder is too difficult to work with. That's a luxury you can afford when you have a steady stream of referrals. Luna: It's a good position to be in. But let's talk about the economics a bit more. Besides the flat fee, are there any upsells or recurring work? Lucas: Sometimes she gets asked to update the deck for different audiences, like a demo day or a specific investor conference. Those are smaller projects, maybe five hundred to a thousand each. She also offers a quick review service for a couple hundred bucks, where she gives feedback on a deck someone already made. That's a nice little extra income stream. Luna: The review service is a great idea for people who can't afford the full package. And it can lead to full projects down the line. Lucas: Exactly. It's a low-commitment way for a founder to see her value. And if they like the feedback, they're more likely to hire her for a full deck later. Luna: So, for someone listening who thinks they might like to try this, what are the first steps? What skills do they need? Lucas: Sarah's advice is to start by studying great pitch decks. There are plenty of examples online from companies that have raised money. Analyze the structure, the language, the flow. Then, try to write a mock deck for a fictional company, or offer to help a local startup for free to build your portfolio. That's how she landed her first paid client. Luna: Free work is always a controversial topic, but it can be a strategic move to get a testimonial and a case study. Lucas: Exactly. She says it's not about working for free forever, but it's a foot in the door. Once you have one or two successful projects under your belt, you can start charging. And the good thing is, the demand is there — there are startups being founded every day, and many of them need help telling their story to investors. Luna: It's a niche that combines business acumen with creativity. That's a powerful mix. And it's not something you need a special degree for, right? Lucas: No, not at all. Sarah studied English literature, then stumbled into marketing. It's all about being a good writer and a good listener. You also need to be comfortable with numbers, because you'll need to understand financial projections and market data. But you don't need to be a financial analyst. Luna: That's reassuring. So what's the biggest challenge she faces? Is it the time management, or is it dealing with demanding clients? Lucas: She says the biggest challenge is managing client expectations. Founders are often very attached to their ideas, and they can be sensitive to feedback that challenges their assumptions. She has to be diplomatic but honest, which is a delicate balance. She's had a few projects where she had to push back and say, 'This slide doesn't make sense, let's rethink it.' Sometimes that creates friction, but in the end, it's for the client's own good. Luna: It's like being a good editor. You have to earn their trust, and then they're willing to listen. Lucas: Exactly. And that trust is what leads to referrals and repeat work. She's built her entire business on it. Luna: I'm curious, what does a typical project timeline look like? She said two to three weeks, but what's the breakdown? Lucas: The first week is mainly research and discovery — talking to the founder, reading any existing materials, and maybe interviewing a few team members. Then she spends a few days writing the narrative outline, which is a bullet-point story of the deck. Once the founder approves that, she moves to the design phase, which takes about five to seven days. Then there's a round of revisions, and she delivers the final file. Luna: The outline stage is crucial. That's where the story is really built. If you get that right, the design is just execution. Lucas: Exactly. And she's learned to never skip that step, even when clients ask her to jump straight to design. That's the biggest mistake she sees in other freelancers — they go straight to slides without a solid narrative, and then they get stuck in endless revisions. Luna: That's a lesson for any kind of freelance work. So, given all this, what's her long-term plan? Does she want to go full-time eventually? Lucas: She's thinking about it. She loves the variety of working with different startups, and the income is approaching what she earns from her day job. But she's also cautious. She likes the security of a steady salary and benefits. So for now, she's keeping both, but she's open to the idea of making the leap in the next year or two. Luna: That's a smart approach. It's great to have the option. And it's a nice place to be — you're not desperate, you're just growing and exploring. Lucas: That's the ideal side hustle, right? You have a stable base, and you're building something that could become more. Luna: Yeah, exactly. And I think that's the takeaway for our listeners — you don't have to quit your job to start something meaningful. You can use your spare time to build skills and a client base, and then decide what's best for you later. Lucas: Well said. And if this episode has sparked an interest in storytelling or business, we're glad. And if you're finding value in these conversations, and you want to help us keep the show ad-free, you can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Every little bit helps us cover the costs of hosting and editing, and it means we can keep bringing you conversations like this one. Lucas: So, back to Sarah's story — one thing I found interesting is that she doesn't have a formal portfolio website. She relies on LinkedIn and word of mouth. That shows you don't need a fancy online presence to get started. Luna: Absolutely. It's about the quality of your work and the relationships you build. And maybe a little bit of luck. Lucas: Luck, but also preparation. She was ready to say yes when the opportunity came her way. And she's been deliberate about nurturing her network since then. Luna: So for anyone thinking about this, what's one piece of advice she'd give? Lucas: She says, 'Don't wait until you feel ready. Start small, learn by doing, and let your first few projects teach you what the job is really about.' It's that iterative process that will make you better. Luna: That's solid advice. And it applies to almost any side hustle we've covered on this show. Lucas: That's true. The pattern is always the same: find a need, develop a skill, and deliver value. Pitch deck writing is just one manifestation of that. Luna: Well, I think our listeners have a lot to chew on. Thanks for bringing this one to the table, Lucas. Lucas: Anytime. And if you're thinking about your own side hustle, remember that sometimes the best opportunities come from the skills you already have — you just have to see them in a new light.