The 7-Slide Deck That Gets CFOs, COOs and CHROs to Say “YES” in Under 20 Minutes
Board Psychology 101
Directors sit through 60-page strategy packs — then vote with their gut in 90 seconds.
Our goal: make the gut say “yes” before slide 5.
The 7-Slide Sequence (Copy-Paste Ready)
Slide 1 – Pain in One Line
“We are losing 68 % of our staff every year — that is KES 26 million in replacement cost.”
(Large font, red number, client logo in background)
Slide 2 – Money on the Table
| Metric | Today | Industry Benchmark | Gap = Money |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exit rate | 68 % | 25 % | KES 26 M |
| Internal fill-rate | 38 % | 65 % | KES 1.2 M recruitment fee saved |
| eNPS | -3 | +25 | TripAdvisor rating +0.8 = revenue KES 9 M |
| Total Prize | KES 36 M / year |
Slide 3 – Solution in 25 Words
“WiseUP runs a 90-day, fixed-fee sprint: stay-interviews, career maps, fair-rules quiz — exits ↓ 20 % minimum or they work free.”
Slide 4 – Calendar & Time Commitment
| Week | Task | MD Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 30-min virtual | 0.5 |
| 1 | On-site workshop | 2 |
| 2-6 | Micro-checks | 0.5 / week |
| 7-12 | Final review | 2 |
| TOTAL | 8 hours across 90 days |
CFO comment: “Less than one board meeting.”
Slide 5 – Money & Off-Ramp
- Fee: KES 400 k flat
- Pay 50 % to start, 50 % after metric hit
- Miss the 20 % drop? – extend free or cancel, no penalty
Slide 6 – Proof You Can Phone
- Elgon Cafe: 68 % → 29 %
- RV Dairy: eNPS +34
- JIKO Smart Mfg: margin +9 pts
“Pick anyone — request to call them now.” (QR code links to reference Calendly)
Slide 7 – Decision Request
“Approve KES 400 k, 90-day sprint, start next week. Risk capped at KES 200 k; upside KES 36 M annual.”
Vote: ✅ Approve ⏸ More info ❌ Decline
Design Rules (Keep It Ugly, Keep It Fast)
- White background – prints cheap
- One font – Arial 24 pt minimum
- One chart – simple bar, Excel default
- Red for pain, green for money – no fancy gradients
- Total slides – 7 (Boards hate deck creep)
Speaker Notes – Exact 7-Minute Script
- Slide 1: “Good morning, in one line we are bleeding talent and cash.”
- Slide 2: “Here is the size of the cheque we are leaving on the table.”
- Slide 3: “This is the 25-word fix.”
- Slide 4: “My time cost is 8 hours — less than a single strategy away-day.”
- Slide 5: “I risk KES 200 k; I stand to gain KES 36 M every year.”
- Slide 6: “Here are three phone numbers — call them now if you doubt me.”
- Slide 7: “Please vote — Approve, More Info, or Decline.”
Stop talking. Wait for vote.
Real Board Minute (Copy-Paste)
“Resolved that the Company approves engagement of WiseUP Consulting for a 90-day People Sprint at a fee of KES 400,000, payment terms 50 % on commencement and 50 % on achievement of 20 % exit-rate reduction, with a 30-day mutual off-ramp clause.”
Elapsed time: 12 minutes (Java House board, March 2024)
Frequently Asked Board Questions – & One-Line Answers
Q: “What if staff lie in interviews?”
A: “They speak off-site, no names — 93 % candid rate proven.”
Q: “Do we need new software?”
A: “No — WhatsApp + Excel only.”
Q: “Will this disturb operations?”
A: “Total MD time = 8 hours across 90 days.”
Q: “What if market crashes?”
A: “30-day off-ramp — maximum exposure KES 200 k.”
Backup Slides (Only If “More Info” Wins)
- Slide 8: Detailed Gantt chart
- Slide 9: Data-protection compliance certificate
- Slide 10: Professional indemnity policy summary
Hide them — don’t show unless asked.
Mobile Version – 3 Slides for WhatsApp
For CFOs stuck in traffic:
- Pain + Money screenshot
- Fee + Guarantee screenshot
- Approve / More / Decline buttons (poll)
Response rate: 87 % yes within 8 minutes.
Print-Ready One-Pager
Download PDF: wiseup.co.ke/board-deck
- Two sides A4 – black & white friendly
- Includes reference phone numbers
Bottom Line
Boards don’t buy consulting — they buy down-side protection and up-side upside.
Give them one red number, one green number, one guarantee, one off-ramp — then shut up and wait for the green tick.
Use the 7-slide deck above — get your KES 400 k approved before coffee gets cold.
Next article: “Can We Pay in Instalments?” — the M-Pesa, cheque, and trade-finance menu that keeps cash-flow happy.**
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