What is the primary problem TeachMe.To is solving?

According to Slide 7, the company addresses the fact that it is currently 'expensive and intimidating to learn something new.' They aim to solve this by making the process of finding and booking in-person instructors more affordable, approachable, and trustworthy than traditional methods.

How does TeachMe.To compare itself to competitors?

On Slide 9, the company contrasts itself against 'Legacy Marketplaces' and 'Local Businesses.' They claim to be the only option that offers the combination of coach comparison, instant booking, guaranteed lesson quality, and a dedicated app with practice tools.

What is the 'Breakthrough Insight' mentioned in the deck?

Slide 11 explains that their insight is 'unlocking latent supply hidden in plain sight,' drawing a direct parallel to how Airbnb and Uber found underutilized assets (spare rooms and cars). They illustrate this with a map showing a significant increase in available instructors across the Los Angeles region.

Who are the founders and what is their track record?

Slide 15 lists Tyler Maloney (CEO) and Nick O'Brien (COO). Maloney has raised over $20M in venture capital and holds a Stanford MBA, while O'Brien has raised over $3M and generated over $10M in revenue. Both are repeat founders who have scaled multiple companies.

What is the market size for this platform?

Slide 17 breaks the market down into three tiers: a $1B 'wedge' in golf lessons, a $15B market for local learning, and a $100B total market for all private learning. They cite IBISWorld and PerfectPutt as sources for these figures.

TeachMe.To Pitch Deck: All 20 Slides + Teardown

See all 20 slides of the TeachMe.To pitch deck — a 2024 Seed deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

TeachMe.To’s 20-slide Seed deck is a masterclass in marketplace storytelling, focusing on the friction of finding in-person instructors for fragmented hobbies like golf and pickleball. By positioning themselves as the solution to 'expensive and intimidating' learning (Slide 7), the founders lean heavily on their pedigree—having previously raised over $23M collectively (Slide 15). The deck effectively uses a 'latent supply' argument (Slide 11), comparing their model to Uber and Airbnb to justify how they can scale in a $100B market (Slide 17). While the deck is light on specific unit economics…

Key takeaways

The company identifies a $100B total addressable market for private learning, using a $1B golf lesson 'wedge' to prove the concept (Slide 17).
Founder pedigree is a central pillar of the pitch, with the CEO and COO having previously raised a combined $23M+ in venture capital (Slide 15).
The deck uses a 'latent supply' map of Los Angeles to visualize how they increase instructor density compared to existing options (Slide 11).
TeachMe.To differentiates from legacy competitors by offering instant booking and guaranteed lesson quality (Slide 9).
The mission focuses on three pillars: making learning more affordable, more approachable, and more trustworthy (Slide 7).
The team includes former operators from high-growth marketplaces including Airbnb, Uber, and Faire (Slide 15).
The deck utilizes a narrative 'hook' starting with a personal search for kiteboarding lessons to illustrate consumer friction (Slide 3).
Social proof is established through direct testimonials from certified coaches who credit the platform for growing their business (Slide 13).

The Marketplace Narrative: TeachMe.To Slide-by-Slide Analysis

TeachMe.To entered the 2024 fundraising market with a clear objective: prove that the 'Uber for X' model still has massive, untapped potential in the service economy. Based in San Diego, the company raised $5M in Seed funding to scale their platform for in-person lessons. The deck is characterized by high-quality photography, minimal text, and a heavy reliance on the founders' previous successes.

Slides 1-3: The Hook and the Friction

Slide 1 introduces the brand with a high-action background image of surfing, immediately signaling that this is a platform for physical, real-world skills. The tagline 'The easy way to learn to play' is supported by a row of icons representing diverse categories: Golf, Tennis, Pickleball, Surfing, Guitar, Piano, Violin, Singing, Dance, Basketball, Boxing, Football, and Baseball.

Slide 3 moves into the problem statement using a relatable consumer journey. It shows a simple Google search bar with the query 'Kiteboarding lessons near me.' This sets the stage for the 'discovery problem'—the difficulty of finding specific, high-quality instruction through generic search engines.

Slides 7-9: Mission and Differentiation

Slide 7 defines the mission: 'We’re increasing access to life-changing skills.' The slide explicitly states that learning is currently 'expensive and intimidating.' To counter this, TeachMe.To promises to be more affordable, more approachable, and more trustworthy. The inclusion of a photo showing a coach (Tom) helping a young student with a golf swing grounds the digital platform in a physical result.

Slide 9 is a standard but effective competitive matrix. It lists 'What new students want'—comparing coaches, instant booking, guaranteed quality, and an app—and shows TeachMe.To checking every box while 'Legacy Marketplaces' and 'Local Businesses' fail on almost every count except for coach comparison. This slide is designed to show that the current market is underserved by existing technology.

Slides 11-13: The Latent Supply Thesis

Slide 11 is perhaps the most important strategic slide in the deck. Titled 'Our Breakthrough Insight,' it uses two maps of the Los Angeles basin to show a dramatic increase in instructor pins. The caption, 'Like Airbnb & Uber, we unlock latent supply hidden in plain sight,' suggests that TeachMe.To isn't just aggregating existing pros, but enabling a new class of instructors to monetize their skills.

Slide 13 provides social proof from the supply side. It features Marc Escalante, a certified golf coach, who states that the platform has helped grow his 'lessons business, memberships and greens fees.' By showing that the platform benefits both the individual coach and the physical venue (the golf range), TeachMe.To addresses potential concerns about platform leakage or venue opposition.

Slides 15-17: Team Pedigree and Market Scale

Slide 15 focuses on the 'world-class team.' The credentials here are significant for a Seed round: CEO Tyler Maloney (Stanford MBA) and COO Nick O'Brien (Vanderbilt) have collectively raised over $23M in previous ventures. The slide also highlights that their team includes former employees from Airbnb, Uber, Faire, and Facebook, suggesting they have the operational blueprint for scaling a marketplace.

Slide 17 addresses the TAM (Total Addressable Market). They use a 'wedge' strategy, starting with a $1B market for golf lessons, expanding to a $15B local learning market, and ultimately targeting a $100B private learning market. This helps investors see a path from a niche vertical to a massive horizontal platform.

Slides 19-20: The Vision

Slide 19 concludes the narrative with a call to 'Join us as we build a happier, healthier world,' accompanied by photos of instructors in TeachMe.To branded apparel. This emphasizes the community and lifestyle aspect of the brand, moving beyond just a utility app to a mission-driven company.

What TeachMe.To Does Well

1. Narrative Simplicity: The deck avoids technical jargon. It frames the business as a simple marketplace problem (discovery and trust) with a proven solution (the Airbnb/Uber model applied to a new vertical).

2. Founder-Market Fit: Slide 15 is exceptionally strong. In a Seed round, investors are betting on the team's ability to execute. Showing that the founders have already raised tens of millions of dollars and scaled products to millions of users significantly de-risks the investment.

3. Visual Proof of Supply: The map on Slide 11 is a powerful way to visualize growth. Instead of just saying 'we have more coaches,' they show the density of the network, which is a key indicator of marketplace health.

What is Missing from the Deck

1. Unit Economics: While the publisher reports a $5M raise, the provided slides do not show the take rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), or lifetime value (LTV) of a student. For a marketplace, these metrics are usually critical to proving the business model's sustainability.

2. Growth Velocity: There are no charts showing month-over-month growth in bookings or revenue. While the 'latent supply' map shows potential, investors typically want to see the actual transaction volume to date.

3. The 'Ask' Slide: The provided slides do not include a specific breakdown of how the $5M will be spent or what milestones the company intends to hit with this capital. This is a common omission in public-facing versions of decks, but it is a vital component of the actual pitch.

Founder's Playbook: Lessons to Copy

Use the 'Wedge' Strategy: If you are building a horizontal platform, follow TeachMe.To’s lead on Slide 17. Don't just claim a $100B market; show the specific $1B vertical (like golf) where you are currently winning. It makes the massive TAM feel achievable rather than delusional.

Leverage 'Latent Supply': If your marketplace creates new supply rather than just aggregating existing supply, highlight that as a 'Breakthrough Insight' (Slide 11). Investors love models that expand the market rather than just fighting for a piece of the existing pie.

Humanize the Supply Side: Don't just treat your service providers as data points. The testimonial on Slide 13 shows that the platform creates real economic value for people. This builds a 'moat' of loyalty that is harder for competitors to disrupt with just lower fees.

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary problem TeachMe.To is solving?: According to Slide 7, the company addresses the fact that it is currently 'expensive and intimidating to learn something new.' They aim to solve this by making the process of finding and booking in-person instructors more affordable, approachable, and trustworthy than traditional methods.
How does TeachMe.To compare itself to competitors?: On Slide 9, the company contrasts itself against 'Legacy Marketplaces' and 'Local Businesses.' They claim to be the only option that offers the combination of coach comparison, instant booking, guaranteed lesson quality, and a dedicated app with practice tools.
What is the 'Breakthrough Insight' mentioned in the deck?: Slide 11 explains that their insight is 'unlocking latent supply hidden in plain sight,' drawing a direct parallel to how Airbnb and Uber found underutilized assets (spare rooms and cars). They illustrate this with a map showing a significant increase in available instructors across the Los Angeles region.
Who are the founders and what is their track record?: Slide 15 lists Tyler Maloney (CEO) and Nick O'Brien (COO). Maloney has raised over $20M in venture capital and holds a Stanford MBA, while O'Brien has raised over $3M and generated over $10M in revenue. Both are repeat founders who have scaled multiple companies.
What is the market size for this platform?: Slide 17 breaks the market down into three tiers: a $1B 'wedge' in golf lessons, a $15B market for local learning, and a $100B total market for all private learning. They cite IBISWorld and PerfectPutt as sources for these figures.

Cover slide of the TeachMe.To pitch deck — Seed 2024 — TeachMe.To pitch deck, slide 1 (2024)

TeachMe.To pitch deck: the facts

Company: TeachMe.To
Year: 2024
Stage: Seed
Slides: 20
Sector: Education / Marketplace
Deck type: Fundraising
Outcome: $5M Raised
Headquarters: San Diego, N. America

TeachMe.To pitch deck PDF

The full TeachMe.To deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the TeachMe.To pitch deck was used for

This deck is TeachMe.To’s 2024 seed‑stage fundraising presentation used to raise a $5M seed round for its "Airbnb for skills" marketplace for local, in‑person lessons.[1][2][3][9][10] The company positions itself as a hub where students can easily find and book private lessons with vetted coaches across sports, music, and arts, while providing coaches with business‑in‑a‑box tools such as marketing, scheduling, payments, and insurance.[1][10][12][13] In 2024 the seed deck narrative emphasized the large private learning and coaching market (often framed as a ~$100B+ opportunity) and the opportunity to build the category‑defining platform for in‑person skill learning.[10][13][14][15] The deck supported a seed financing that was ultimately announced publicly in July 2024 and referenced by Business Insider as an "Airbnb for lessons" raise.[1][2][3][9][10]

Business model: TeachMe.To operates a marketplace platform for finding and booking local, in‑person private lessons, initially focused on sports but also covering music and the arts.[1][10][12][13][14]

Round: Seed[1][2][4][6][10][11]
Lead investor: Bling Capital[1][2][3][4][8][9][10][11]
Investors: Bling Capital, Marketplace Capital, 20Growth, Gokul Rajaram, 1984 Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Deborah (Deb) Liu, Brent Turner
Founders: Tyler Maloney
Headquarters: San Diego, California[1][4][10][14][15]
Industry: Education technology / marketplace for private lessons[1][10][12][13][14][15]

Year: 2024[1][2][4][6][10][11]

Raised: $5,000,000 seed round announced July 23, 2024.[1][2][4][6][10][11]

Total funding: Multiple sources report at least $5M raised in a seed round in July 2024, with company and secondary sources indicating total funding in the multi‑million range across several rounds.[1][2][4][5][6][8][11][15]

Use of funds as presented: Company communications state the seed funding will be used to continue enhancing the platform, with particular focus on tools that improve the learning experience for students and coaches.[1][10][13]

What happened after the TeachMe.To deck

The 2024 seed deck supported a $5M seed financing led by Bling Capital and a group of marketplace‑focused investors, after which TeachMe.To continued to grow and later attracted additional Seed+ funding.[1][2][4][6][8][11][13]

TeachMe.To announced a $5M seed funding round in July 2024 to enhance its platform and tools for improving the learning
The company publicly communicated rapid growth and market‑leadership ambitions in private coaching, with LinkedIn and co

What the TeachMe.To deck got right

Clear and compelling marketplace positioning. The company articulates a simple, memorable positioning as the "Airbnb for skills" and "hub for finding and booking local in‑person lessons," which quickly conveys its marketplace model and target use case.[1][3][9][10][13][15]
Large, under‑served private learning market. TeachMe.To targets a large, fragmented private learning and coaching market, offering lessons across sports, music, and arts, which supports a sizable opportunity story in a traditionally under‑digitized space.[1][10][12][13][14][15]
Robust coach‑facing tools and differentiation. The platform provides coaches with comprehensive business‑in‑a‑box tooling—including marketing, scheduling, payments, insurance, tax support, and AI‑powered lesson recaps and video analysis—creating strong value on the supply side of the marketplace.[1][10][12][13]
Gamified learning experience for students. Public materials emphasize gamified features such as lesson streaks, rewards, and progress tracking, which can improve student engagement and retention versus simple booking marketplaces.[13]
Strong seed‑stage investor syndicate. The seed round attracted a credible roster of investors, led by Bling Capital and including marketplace‑focused firms and notable angels, signaling external validation of the team and opportunity.[1][2][3][4][8][9][10][11]

What could have been stronger

Limited visibility into marketplace unit economics. No externally visible materials from the 2024 seed deck explicitly state detailed unit economics (take rate, customer acquisition cost, payback period, or coach lifetime value), making it difficult for investors to validate marketplace quality and scalability purely from the deck narrative.[1][2][10][13][14][15]
Sparse quantified traction and cohort data in public seed‑round narrative. While public communications emphasize a large private learning and coaching market and rapid growth, there is little specific, sourced quantitative detail in the seed‑round narrative about current GMV, revenue, or retention cohorts at the time of the raise.[1][2][10][12][13][15]
Potential ambiguity around vertical focus and expansion sequencing. The company spans multiple verticals (sports, music, arts), yet public descriptions around the 2024 seed round focus most heavily on sports and pickleball; investors may question how the deck addressed focus and sequencing across verticals.[1][10][12][13][14]

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Scale and fragmentation of the private learning/coaching market and whether TeachMe.To can become a category‑defining marketplace for in‑person lessons.[1][10][13][14][15]
Marketplace quality: retention of students and coaches, repeat bookings, and strength of network effects in local markets.[1][10][12][13]
Breadth and depth of coach tooling (business‑in‑a‑box features, insurance, payments, AI lesson recaps, video analysis) as a defensible differentiator versus generic marketplaces or booking tools.[1][10][12][13]
Founding story and experience of CEO Tyler Maloney, including prior fundraising experience and growth achieved over the last two years.[9][12][15]

Risks that stand out

Marketplaces in local services are often subject to intense competition and commoditization, and TeachMe.To must prove durable differentiation beyond discovery and booking.[1][10][13][14][15]
Expansion from a core sports/pickleball beachhead into broader categories like music and arts may dilute focus or introduce operational complexity if not sequenced carefully.[10][12][13][14]
Regulatory and liability issues around in‑person coaching (injuries, minors, certifications) could create operational and insurance challenges as the platform scales.[1][10][13][14]
Dependence on coach satisfaction and earnings means that any misalignment in pricing, fees, or tools could reduce marketplace liquidity and growth.[1][10][12][13]

Questions this deck invites

What were TeachMe.To’s GMV, revenue, and active user/coach metrics at the time of the 2024 seed raise, and how have they trended over the prior 12–24 months?[1][2][6][10][12]
How strong are cohort retention and repeat booking rates for both students and coaches across different verticals (sports, music, arts)?[1][10][12][13]
What is TeachMe.To’s current take rate, contribution margin, and payback period on paid acquisition, and how does this vary by city and category?[1][10][12][13]
How defensible are TeachMe.To’s coach‑facing tools (insurance, tax, AI features) against incumbents and potential new entrants, and how do coaches perceive switching costs?[1][10][12][13][14]
What regulatory, insurance, or liability risks exist around in‑person lessons, and how does TeachMe.To mitigate them at scale?[1][10][13][14]

What founders can take from the TeachMe.To deck

A clear, simple positioning such as "Airbnb for skills" can quickly convey both the marketplace model and the use case, making the deck’s narrative more accessible to investors.[1][3][9][10][13][15]
Anchoring the story in a large, under‑digitized private learning market helps justify seed‑stage ambitions and frames the company as a potential category leader.[1][2][10][13][14][15]
Combining a consumer marketplace narrative with a strong "business‑in‑a‑box" story for providers (coaches) can demonstrate two‑sided value and defensibility.[1][10][12][13]
Highlighting concrete tooling and product features (insurance, tax help, AI‑powered recaps, video analysis, streaks and rewards) can make an education marketplace feel like a product company rather than just a listing site.[1][10][12][13][14]
Public communications around a seed round that match the deck narrative (Airbnb analogy, market size, focus on in‑person lessons) can reinforce the story to later investors and partners.[1][2][3][9][10][13]

TeachMe.To pitch deck: common questions

What does TeachMe.To do?

TeachMe.To is a marketplace platform that connects students with local coaches and instructors for in‑person private lessons in sports, music, and the arts, billing itself as the "Airbnb for skills" and a "TaskRabbit of learning."[1][10][12][14][15]

How much did TeachMe.To raise in its 2024 seed round?

In July 2024 TeachMe.To announced that it had raised $5 million in seed funding to enhance its platform and tools for improving the learning experience.[1][2][4][6][10][11]

Who invested in TeachMe.To’s 2024 seed round?

The $5M seed round announced in July 2024 was led by Bling Capital, with participation from Marketplace Capital, 20Growth, and Gokul Rajaram, along with existing funds and angels including 1984 Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Deb Liu, and Brent Turner.[1][2][3][4][8][9][10][11]

How does TeachMe.To’s marketplace work for students and coaches?

TeachMe.To’s platform lets students search for nearby coaches, compare options, and book lessons online, while coaches receive a full set of tools for marketing, scheduling, payments, insurance, and even AI‑powered lesson recaps and video analysis.[1][10][12][13][14]

Why is TeachMe.To described as the "Airbnb for lessons" or "Airbnb for skills"?

Business Insider and company communications describe TeachMe.To as "the Airbnb for skills," highlighting its focus on in‑person lessons in a large private learning market and its combination of marketplace mechanics with gamified learning features.[10][13][14][15]