Edu Plan B Pitch Deck Teardown: A Highly Abstract Vision

Edu Plan B: A Philosophical Manifesto for Entrepreneurship

The Edu Plan B pitch deck, authored by Gordon Kraft in 2011, represents a unique artifact in the history of startup presentations. It eschews almost every convention of the modern 'Silicon Valley' style deck. There are no bar charts, no logos of competitors, and no 'Team' slide featuring former Google or Facebook employees. Instead, the deck functions as a conceptual roadmap for a vision titled 'Entrepreneur Development University' (EDU). The tone is conversational, occasionally cryptic, and deeply rooted in the founder's personal identity and geographical ties to Hawaii.

Slide 1: Title and Copyright

The opening slide introduces 'EDU' as the 'Entrepreneur Development University.' It notes that this was an 'original presentation to Berliner 2011' and claims copyright for Gordon Kraft. The subtitle, 'a idea of mutual benefit...', sets a philosophical tone that persists throughout the presentation. The use of a black background with red and white text is a stark visual choice that emphasizes the text over any branding elements.

Slide 2: The Foundation of Assets

Slide 2 attempts to establish credibility not through professional experience, but through personal and digital assets. Kraft lists the 'Kraft Living Trust' and 'Kraft Family Trust' as entities he owns. More significantly, he lists a series of URLs, including bigkahuna.net, talkstory.com (noting it is 'reserved until 2030'), sixpacku.net, aiengines.com, enqubator.com, and avstreams.com. The slide asserts that EDU will succeed 'because it only has to make available the tools for a person to help themselves,' framing the venture as a facilitator rather than a direct service provider.

Slide 3: The LeapFrog Strategy

This slide is minimalist, containing only the header 'LeapFrog' and the bullet point 'Sell our way out.' In the context of 2011 startup culture, 'Leapfrogging' usually referred to bypassing traditional development stages. Here, it seems to imply that the primary solution to any business obstacle is a pure sales focus, though the lack of detail makes it difficult to discern a concrete operational plan.

Slide 4: The Turnaround Plan and Accounting

Slide 4 introduces the concept of a 'turnaround Plan' aimed at stimulating mutual motivation. The most provocative statement on this slide is 'Accounting in this plan is Sales Prevention... but required.' This reflects a common, if controversial, entrepreneurial sentiment that strict financial controls can stifle the creative and aggressive momentum needed to launch a new venture. It positions EDU as a high-momentum, sales-first organization.

Slide 5: American Reality

This slide moves into highly abstract territory. Under the heading 'American Reality,' it lists 'is our people...', 'I fear all we have done is wake the tiger... Tora Tora Tora,' and 'aloha aloha aloha.' The reference to 'Tora Tora Tora' (the Japanese signal for a successful surprise attack on Pearl Harbor) suggests a belief in a sleeping giant of American entrepreneurial spirit being awakened. The juxtaposition with 'aloha' reinforces the Hawaiian influence on the founder’s perspective.

Slide 6: EDU Excaliber and the Venture Community

On Slide 6, the deck takes a critical view of the existing investment landscape. It claims the 'Venture Community has played with microcap and small iFund’s but no successes echo.' It also mentions that 'Indian Microcap funds ran out.' Kraft positions EDU as the solution to this perceived failure, stating that the university 'will teach how to Launch.' It concludes with the assertion that a 'Cash Flow Loop is needed,' which is the closest the deck comes to discussing business sustainability.

Slide 7: The HP Example

Slide 7 is a single-reference slide mentioning 'HP' and 'original garage.com.' This is likely a nod to the Hewlett-Packard garage, the quintessential symbol of American startup mythology. By invoking HP, Kraft is attempting to align EDU with the 'garage startup' tradition, suggesting that EDU is a return to those foundational roots of innovation.

Slide 8: Global Infrastructure and Personal Narrative

Slide 8 features a photograph of a yacht with 'TalkStory.com' branding. The text mentions 'Global Cable? Fiber to China' and 'St. Pete 1999.' The phrase 'hey Bra, can I join you?' and 'brought a Luau...' suggests a networking style based on informal, personal connections (the 'Talk Story' culture of Hawaii) rather than formal corporate business development. It hints at a history in the telecommunications or fiber-optic industry, though it remains anecdotal.

Slide 9: The American Symphony and SixpackU

Slide 9 introduces the 'SixpackU' concept, which appears to be a colloquial name for EDU. Kraft shares a personal detail: 'I did it with a “D” average in High School what can you do?' This is a classic 'underdog' narrative designed to inspire others who may feel excluded from traditional elite institutions. The slide uses patriotic language ('American Symphony,' 'send us your weak and poor') to frame entrepreneurship as a democratic, inclusive force.

Slide 10: MRTC and the Hawaiian Headquarters

The final slide in this selection identifies a physical location for the venture: the Maui Research and Technology center (MRTC). Kraft claims it is the 'perfect site for HQ of EDU Hawaii' and mentions a 'Facilities Management Agreement with the State of Hawaii.' He also alludes to 'possible family linkage' to 'Maui Pineapple' and Hawaiian royalty ('Queen of Hawaii relative... Kraft deSilva'). This slide attempts to ground the abstract vision in a specific place and a sense of hereditary legitimacy.

What Edu Plan B Does Well

The deck is successful in creating a distinct 'voice.' In a sea of identical-looking pitch decks, Gordon Kraft’s presentation is unmistakable. It leans heavily into the 'Founder-Market Fit' by showing his deep personal connection to the Hawaiian community and his ownership of relevant domain names. The use of the 'D average student' narrative is a powerful emotional hook for a specific type of aspiring entrepreneur who feels the current educational system has failed them. By positioning EDU as a 'University' for these individuals, the deck taps into a potent psychological need for validation and practical guidance.

What is Missing from the Edu Plan B Deck

From a professional fundraising perspective, the deck is missing almost every critical component required for a due diligence process. There is no market analysis (TAM/SAM/SOM) to show how large the 'Entrepreneur Development' market actually is. There is no product demo or explanation of the curriculum—we do not know what a student at EDU actually does. Most importantly, there is no financial ask. A pitch deck is a tool to raise capital, yet this deck does not state how much money is being sought, what the valuation is, or how the funds will be allocated. The absence of a team slide is also a major red flag; investors fund teams, not just ideas, and here the entire venture appears to rest solely on one individual.

What Founders Can Learn from This Deck

Founders can learn the importance of storytelling, but also the dangers of being too abstract. Kraft’s deck is memorable because it is personal, but it fails to be actionable because it is vague. A good pitch deck should balance the 'Why' (the vision) with the 'How' (the business model). While it is fine to include a personal narrative, it must be backed up by data and a clear path to revenue. Additionally, the 'Accounting is Sales Prevention' mindset is a dangerous one to project to investors; while sales are vital, investors need to know that their capital will be managed with professional rigor. Finally, if you are going to claim a 'Facilities Management Agreement' or 'family linkage' to major landholders, these claims should be supported by evidence rather than just bullet points.