Comments on: The Arrogant VC: Why VCs are disliked by entrepreneurs, Part 2

By: Michael Downing

Michael Downing — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 20:50:25 +0000

One of the biggest turn-off’s to entrepreneurs (based on my own experience) is dealing with the VC’s who have knee-jerk perspectives on what is or is not viable in specific areas based on their own exposure to a flood of mediocre business plans.

While I know it is hard for VC’s to keep in mind that they are far from experts in specific areas… and that they will not succeed unless they can dump the baggage they pick up along the way talking to so many companies…. and think about industries/problems differently… more often than not the herd mentality and most-often predictable interpretation of what can or cannot work prevails.

On the upside…that is why so many of their investments go nowhere… they find it hard to look at problems completely differently and invest in those companies willing to attack those problems in completely new/innovative ways.

By: Mohan Arun L

Mohan Arun L — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 09:36:00 +0000

How about adding a point about a VC ‘being a control freak’ and/or a ‘micro-manager’ trying to micro-manage everything about the business?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:17:15 +0000

I heard a wise person once say that all VCs add value – the question is whether or not that value comes with a plus or a minus side in front of it. There are definitely some on both sides…

By: Lance Walley

Lance Walley — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:16:50 +0000

I’m so glad we chose a great VC to lead our Series A at my previous startup, Engine Yard.

We worked with Peter Fenton and Mitch Lasky, who brought a great combination of experience.

I will not forget Peter telling me that the term sheet they’d send would be simple and founder-friendly, or something like that. What matters is that they did indeed do as he said they would.

We had already had many conversations by that time, with many folks at Benchmark, but that conversation and the term sheet that followed helped solidify our trust.

We were getting married, after all, and both sides needed to trust and respect each other.