Who are the friendliest venture capitalists?
Interestingly, the large majority of venture capitalists are very friendly. It’s for the same reason that as a group, orthodontists tend almost universally to be more friendly than surgeons.
[“Whaaaa?!?”! I hear you ask. Think about it for a bit, and particularly if you’ve had personal experiences with either/both groups.]
The latter profession sees you by referral from another doctor, operates on you while you’re asleep, and rarely sees you again. They don’t NEED to be friendly! In contrast, you may visit several orthodontists before choosing one, and then for them to be successful (and you to keep paying) they need to cajole you into compliance over 2+ years of orthodontic treatment.
Similarly, while venture capitalists typically invest in only one out of every 400 companies they see, for them to have the *opportunity* to invest in that one, they need to convince all 400 that they would make great, long-term partners. And since, as the the old saying goes, “you’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”, it’s simply a Best Practice for a VC to be friendly!
That said, based on my somewhat limited view of the industry (I certainly don’t know every VC), probably the “friendliest” group of venture capitalists I know are the team at First Round Capital, and the “friendliest” angel investor I know would be…me! (As my CFO once chided me when discussing the skill set necessary to be a professional investor, “David, your problem is that you’ve got 0% Asshole Factor!”)
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This article is intended for informational purposes only, and doesn't constitute tax, accounting, or legal advice. Everyone's situation is different! For advice in light of your unique circumstances, consult a tax advisor, accountant, or lawyer.