WorkLife Fund 1 Pitch Deck (2019): 19-Slide Breakdown

See all 19 slides of the WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck — a 2019 deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

WorkLife Fund 1 is a venture capital fund founded by Brianne Kimmel in 2019, specifically targeting the 'future of work' and the consumerization of enterprise software. The deck successfully raised $10M by emphasizing Kimmel's unique position as the 'GTM Angel' and her proprietary deal-flow engine, SaaS School. Rather than focusing on traditional fund metrics, the presentation leans heavily on social proof, including a list of high-profile LPs like Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon, and a track record of getting into competitive rounds alongside top-tier firms like Sequoia and Accel. The strate…

Key takeaways

The Solo GP Playbook: Selling a Thesis and a Network

The WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck is a masterclass in how a solo General Partner (GP) can raise a debut fund by productizing their personal brand and network. Brianne Kimmel does not rely on decades of institutional fund management; instead, she sells a specific, timely thesis: the consumerization of the enterprise. The deck is less about spreadsheets and more about the cultural shift in how software is bought and used.

Slide 1: Title Slide

The deck opens with a minimalist blue slide. It identifies the fund as 'Work Life' and provides the subtitle 'A future of work focused fund.' It includes Brianne Kimmel's name and a Gmail address, signaling the early, personal nature of the fundraise.

Slide 2: Overview

This slide acts as an executive summary. It establishes the fund's focus and immediately leads with social proof. It notes the fund is 'Oversubscribed' with a '$5M cap' and plans for 30 investments over 24 months. Crucially, it lists LPs including Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, Garry Tan, and Zoom CEO Eric Yuan. This list instantly validates Kimmel as a peer to the industry's elite.

Slide 3: About the General Partner

Kimmel positions herself as 'The GTM Angel,' highlighting her background at Zendesk. She claims 'Unique access to oversubscribed rounds led by top-tier funds.' It also introduces SaaS School, her proprietary program, and mentions a Business Insider ranking to solidify her status as a top angel investor.

Slide 4: The Consumerization of the Enterprise

This slide defines the market opportunity. It argues that 'bottom-up SaaS' is finally showing its value in public and private markets. It uses logos of Figma (Series C $400M+), Superhuman (Series B $200M+), and Notion (Angel round $800M+, 1M users) as evidence. Screenshots of Zoom and Slack IPO news reinforce the massive scale of this trend.

Slide 5: Workplace Software and Social Hype

Kimmel introduces the 'BYOT' (Bring Your Own Tools) concept. She explains that employees now bring favorite tools to work, which then expand to teams. The slide lists her angel investments in this area: Command E, Humble Dot, Voiceflow, and Webflow.

Slide 6: Reimagining Work Opportunities

This slide expands the thesis to 'skilled labor' and the creator economy. It mentions talent networks and tools for creators to build audiences. Logos for Substack, Anchor, and Cameo are displayed as representative companies in this space.

Slide 7: Brand and Social Signals

Here, the deck argues that software decisions are now impacted by brand and community. It notes that individuals pay out of pocket for early access and wear branded apparel. Visuals include a 'Superhuman' diamond-encrusted envelope and a 'Figma' tote bag, illustrating how software has become a lifestyle choice.

Slide 8: Work Life as Identity

Citing the 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer, this slide claims the employer is the 'most trusted institution.' It suggests the modern workplace is a community and a discovery platform. Photos show Instagrammable offices and employees bringing dogs to work, emphasizing the 'Life' aspect of the fund's name.

Slide 9: Building a Maniacally Focused Fund

Kimmel outlines the fund's competitive advantages: curated deal flow, strategic positioning as a 'next-gen micro-fund,' and a community that accelerates partner integrations. Screenshots of tweets from David Sacks and Aaron Levie support her 'Startup Software' thesis.

Slide 10: Angel Track Record

This is a critical 'proof of work' slide. It lists 10 companies Kimmel invested in as an angel, including Webflow, Work OS, and Girlboss. Most importantly, it lists co-investors like Accel, Lightspeed, NEA, and A16z, proving she can win allocations in rounds led by the world's best firms.

Slide 11: Personal Brand Strategy

Kimmel details how she built her brand through the 'Venture Stories' podcast, keynote speaking at SaaStr, and writing for firms like Openview. A photo shows her judging a Loom hackathon with Figma CEO Dylan Field, placing her at the center of the ecosystem.

Slide 12: Top of Mind Awareness

This slide is a collage of media coverage, podcast appearances, and social media interactions. It visually demonstrates that she is a recognized thought leader in the SaaS and product-led growth space.

Slide 13: SaaS School

Kimmel explains her proprietary deal-flow engine. SaaS School is an invite-only program where founders learn from executives at companies like Airtable and Dropbox. It provides exposure to 200+ companies per year, giving her a significant 'first look' advantage.

Slide 14: Testimonial

A single quote from Moataz Soliman, co-founder of Instabug (YC W16), calls SaaS School 'the best experience I've had since YC.' This provides third-party validation of the value she provides to founders.

Slide 15: Multi-Prong Strategy

This slide summarizes her deal flow sources: SaaS School, her Angel Network (including Front CEO Mathilde Collin), founder referrals, and social media (20k Twitter followers). It emphasizes that her flow comes from 'high signal sources.'

Slide 16: Reputation Validation

Kimmel shares screenshots of emails from Peter Lauten (A16z) and Cadran Cowansage (Elpha/YC). These emails praise her as a 'super helpful angel investor' and invite her into rounds, proving her reputation among both investors and founders.

Slide 17: Fund I Strategy

The 'Ask' slide. It targets a $3M fund with a $5M cap. It specifies $50k-$150k checks, an 18-24 month period, 20% carry, and a 2% management fee. It also notes that 40% of deals will come from SaaS School.

Slide 18: The Strike Zone

The final content slide defines her ideal investment: workplace collaboration, post-product, with some users. It uses 'Tandem' (a YC company that raised from A16z) as the perfect example of a 'strike zone' deal.

Slide 19: BestPitchDeck.com Promo

A standard closing slide from the hosting platform, not part of the original fund presentation.

What Works in This Deck

Unassailable Social Proof: For a first-time fund, the most important thing is proving you belong. By listing LPs like Andreessen and Dixon on slide 2 and showing co-investments with Accel and Sequoia on slide 10, Kimmel removes the 'risk' of her being an outsider.

Proprietary Deal Flow: Most VCs claim to have 'great networks.' Kimmel goes further by showing a specific product (SaaS School) that generates deal flow. This makes her sourcing advantage tangible and repeatable rather than just a collection of coffee meetings.

Clear, Timely Thesis: The 'consumerization of the enterprise' was a powerful tailwind in 2019. The deck does a great job of connecting cultural trends (Instagrammable offices, branded swag) to investment opportunities.

What is Missing

Portfolio Construction Details: While the deck mentions 30 investments, it lacks a detailed breakdown of how the $3M-$5M will be allocated across initial checks versus reserves for follow-ons.

Exit Potential Analysis: The deck focuses heavily on the 'hotness' of the rounds and the brands, but it doesn't explicitly discuss the exit landscape or the multiples required to return a micro-fund of this size.

Team/Support Structure: As a solo GP, the deck is entirely focused on Kimmel. There is no mention of back-office support, venture partners, or how she manages the administrative burden of a 30-company portfolio alongside running SaaS School.

What a Founder Should Copy

The 'Proof of Work' Collage: Slide 12 is an excellent way to show 'top of mind awareness.' Instead of just saying you are an expert, show the podcasts, articles, and tweets that prove it.

The 'Strike Zone' Slide: Every founder (and fund manager) should have a slide like number 18. It tells the investor exactly what a 'win' looks like for you, which helps them understand your focus and filter.

Leading with the 'Who': If you have high-profile backers or early adopters, don't hide them at the end. Kimmel puts her most famous LPs on slide 2, which ensures the reader pays attention to everything that follows.

Frequently asked questions

What is the primary investment thesis of WorkLife Fund 1?
The fund invests in the 'future of work,' specifically focusing on the consumerization of the enterprise. This thesis suggests that modern workplace software is adopted bottom-up by individual users who bring their own tools (BYOT) to work, driven by brand, community, and social signals rather than just IT department mandates.
How does Brianne Kimmel source deals for the fund?
Kimmel uses a 'multi-prong strategy' for deal flow. This includes SaaS School (an invite-only program for founders), her personal angel network of CEOs and GPs, referrals from top-tier venture firms, and a strong social media presence with over 20k Twitter followers and 3M monthly impressions at the time of the deck.
Who are the notable Limited Partners (LPs) in the fund?
The deck lists an impressive roster of LPs, including venture capitalists Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, and Garry Tan, as well as tech executives like Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, InVision CEO Clark Valberg, and various executives from Dropbox and Slack.
What are the specific fund terms outlined in the deck?
According to slide 17, the fund targeted $3M with a $5M cap. It planned to invest $50k-$150k per deal over an 18-24 month period. The economic structure is a standard VC model with a 2% management fee and 20% carry on profits.
What stage of companies does WorkLife Fund 1 target?
The fund focuses on competitive Seed and Series A stage companies. Specifically, it looks for 'strike zone' opportunities in workplace collaboration that are post-product and have an initial user base, often targeting companies coming out of Y Combinator.
Cover slide of the WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck — 2019
WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck, slide 1 (2019)

WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck: the facts

Company
WorkLife Fund 1
Year
2019
Slides
19
Sector
Venture Capital

WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck PDF

The full WorkLife Fund 1 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 WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck was used for

This deck is for **WorkLife Fund 1**, the debut future-of-work–focused venture capital fund created by solo GP Brianne Kimmel in 2019. It was used to raise WorkLife’s first fund, initially targeted at $3M with a $5M cap, and publicly announced as a $5M debut fund in September 2019 before later closing more capital. The deck positions WorkLife as a creator- and individual-contributor–friendly VC focused on the consumerization of enterprise software, BYOT (Bring Your Own Tools), and new work opportunities, and it showcases Kimmel’s angel track record and proprietary deal flow via SaaS School.

Business model: Early-stage venture capital fund investing in tools and services for the modern workplace and the future of work, with a focus on the consumerization of enterprise software and creator/individual-contributor–friendly products.

Investors
Eric Yuan (Zoom CEO)., Stewart Butterfield (Slack CEO)., Alexis Ohanian., Marc Andreessen., Chris Dixon., Garry Tan., NFX., Slow Ventures.
Founded
2019
Founders
Brianne Kimmel
Industry
Venture capital / Future of work–focused early-stage investing

Round: Venture capital Fund I (inaugural early-stage fund focused on pre-seed and seed-stage companies in future-of-work and consumerized enterprise software).

Year: 2019 (fund formation and initial $5M close publicly announced in September 2019).

Raising: First-time venture fundraise for WorkLife’s inaugural future-of-work fund (Fund I), targeting $3M with a $5M cap as per the deck, then expanding as additional LP commitments were secured.

Raised: Initially announced as a $5M debut fund in September 2019, later reported by multiple sources and by Kimmel herself as raising a little over $10M, and subsequently described by TechCrunch as ultimately closing at $13M.

Total funding: Fund I closed at approximately $10M for its first fund, after an initial $3M target and $5M first close; later TechCrunch reports Fund I ultimately closed at $13M, indicating that $10M was an intermediate close referenced in multiple sources.

Use of funds as presented: To invest $50k–$150k per company over roughly 18–24 months in early-stage tools and services for the modern workplace, focusing on consumerized enterprise software, BYOT workplace tools, and platforms that reimagine work opportunities for skilled labor and creators, with deal flow significantly sourced from SaaS School and other networks.

What happened after the WorkLife Fund 1 deck

WorkLife Fund 1 evolved from an initially targeted $3M–$5M debut fund announced at $5M in 2019 into an inaugural vehicle that ultimately raised over $10M and is later reported at $13M, backed by high-profile LPs and invested across nearly 100 future-of-work companies; subsequent reporting consistently characterizes Fund I as a strongly performing fund with significant markups and multiple unicorns

What the WorkLife Fund 1 deck got right

What could have been stronger

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

Risks that stand out

Questions this deck invites

What founders can take from the WorkLife Fund 1 deck

WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck: common questions

What is WorkLife Fund 1?

WorkLife Fund 1 is the inaugural venture capital fund of WorkLife Ventures, founded by solo GP Brianne Kimmel in 2019 to invest in tools and services for the modern workplace and the future of work, especially the consumerization of enterprise software and creator-friendly products.

How much did WorkLife Fund 1 raise, and what were its target and terms?

The deck describes an initial **$3M target with a $5M cap**, $50k–$150k check sizes, and an 18–24 month investment period; TechCrunch reported a $5M debut fund in September 2019, while later sources and Kimmel herself state that Fund I ultimately closed a little over $10M, with TechCrunch in 2022 reporting a $13M final size.

Who is Brianne Kimmel and what is her role in WorkLife Fund 1?

Brianne Kimmel is a former operator at companies including Zendesk and Expedia, a prominent angel investor in SaaS and future-of-work companies, and the founder of WorkLife Ventures; she is described in the deck and coverage as the “GTM Angel,” leveraging a high-signal angel portfolio and an invite-only SaaS School program for proprietary deal flow.

What is the investment thesis of WorkLife Fund 1 as presented in the deck?

WorkLife Fund 1’s investment thesis focuses on workplace software adopted bottom-up through BYOT (Bring Your Own Tools), consumer-grade UX, and strong brand/community signals, along with platforms and tools that reimagine work opportunities for skilled labor such as newsletters, podcasts, and creator services.

Who invested in WorkLife Fund 1 and what kind of LP base did it attract?

Multiple sources report backing from notable LPs including Eric Yuan (Zoom), Stewart Butterfield (Slack), Alexis Ohanian, Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, Garry Tan, NFX, and Slow Ventures; the deck itself frames that WorkLife attracted top-tier LPs by leveraging Kimmel’s angel track record and proprietary deal flow engine.

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-21 from the pages below.

WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck slides

WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck slide 1 of 19
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What each slide of the WorkLife Fund 1 pitch deck says

Slide 1

L if Ie. A future of work focused fund Brianne Kimmel | brianne kimmel@gmail.com

Slide 2

Overview e Anew fund focused on the future of work e Oversubscribed ($5M cap) - 30 investments over 24 months e Deals sourced from SaaS School and LP network of SaaS CEOs e LPs include Marc Andreessen, Chris Dixon, Garry Tan, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, InVision CEO Clark Valberg & executives from Dropbox, Slack and more.

Slide 3

About the General Partner "The GTM Angel" previously at Zendesk Unique access to oversubscribed rounds led by top-tier funds Founder & sole operator of SaaS School, an invite-only program which sees 200+ applications per batch Business Insider recently named Brianne a top angel investor that every startup should know alongside Ellen Pao and Cyan Banister

Slide 4

The consumerization of the enterprise is finally here Zoom Opens 81% Higher in Trading Debut We've heard “the consumerization of the enterprise” for years, but we're finally starting to see the value of 4 d 2p bottom-up Saas in private and public markets 4 B - AS N y Shack IPD tok sl 57% higher tha | BA ¢ expected company value tom 246m t 8 SUPERHUMAN as J" rem Series C $400M+ Series B $200M+ Angel round $800M+ 7: JRE § 1M users & [*% CN

Slide 5

Workplace software starts with social hype and gets adopted by teams (BYOT) Employees bring their favorite tools to work, use them on evenings and weekends, and even take them to their next company. 3 Humble Dot Built for individual users - easy to use, 'l)owqiow optimized for mobile, engaged community Expand to teams - tool adds more value to individuals as teammates use it, becomes increasingly sticky and a core part of daily work Angel investments in this area A commano e webflow Flex tools - easily add and remove business instances and take your personal tools to the next company

Slide 6

Work opportunities are being reimagined New technologies reimagine and reinvent opportunities for skilled labor. Companies in this area =substack o Talent networks: increased utilization of skilled labor +anew, high-quality service for paying customers @Anchor ie: Cameo for personalized videos from celebrities, Future for personal training from leading coaches This includes podcasting, video, publishing and other creative classes of work Al o Tools & services for skilled labor: new ways for individuals 1> tobuild an audience, start a business or make extra money cameo fe: Substack for monetizing personal newsletters, Anchor for launching a podcast

Slide 7

Brand, community and social signals impact software decisions Individuals and teams use modern tools to signal relevance. Software is no longer purchased purely based on functionality, brand and community build consumer hype. Individuals pay out of pocket to have early access Companies use modern tools to hire top talent Celebrities keynote software user conferences Employees and customers wear branded apparel nelle Monae might be cool but she still loves k

Slide 8

Your work life is part of 2019 EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER your identity REVEALS "MY EMPLOYER" IS THE MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTION People spend % of their lives at work, its a big part of who we are and how we view the world. The modern workplace is a community with shared values, a discovery platform for new goods and services and a trusted source for news and information Offices are designed for Instagram s o Employer-funded benefits and services Companies compete on culture g W bringaur dogs o work

Slide 10

tested this model as an angel & got into competitive rounds with top-tier firms Company Description Co-investors. ¥ Design prototype. and buikd voice apps without coding JEe oD Sy b iy webflow Design. protype, and launch responsive websites without coding Accel, Y Combinator Work 08 ?:ll::;r':;(:'p"l';::'l:'ovmlvnnnubfly!nlwnmmhefi Lightspeed, Abstract [ Forethought Enterprise search and workflow automation NEA, Mathilde Colin, Alexa Von Tobel —— Professional network built on strategic introductions A6z Abstract girlboss® Professional network fo female entrepreneurs Lightspeed. Inialized W/ vorege Autonomous vehicles in private communities: The Economist Khosla Ventures. Initialized, Sebastia…

Slide text above is read directly from the WorkLife Fund 1 deck PDF embedded on this page.

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