I was part of startups that raised billions of VC in my 20s in Silicon Valley and didn't make much money: 1. VCs tell you to dedicate your life to the business, but they take August off. 2. VCs tell you that you need to go big or go home, but their business is a collection of many bets 3. VCs tell you it's all about team, but it’s common to replace a founder/ceo. 4. VCs tell you to be lean and agile, but they’ll drown you in cash if it means a big exit. 5. VCs tell you to maintain a work-life balance, but smile when you send emails at midnight. 6. VCs tell you to own your niche, but often nudge you towards mass markets before you're ready. 7. VCs tell you to measure everything, but their decision to fund often hinges on intangible 'gut feelings'. Am I wrong? Be honest. Now, I don't think all VCs are the same, just like all entrepreneurs aren't the same. But the problem isn't in VCs, it's two things: 1) Some businesses need venture funding to thrive. The SpaceX type businesses or Uber type businesses 2) VCs aren't 100% aligned with founders (especially first time founders). Let me break it down. They are incentivized for you to grow valuation. And sell or go public one day. But if you get an M&A offer that might be life-changing for you and your family? They might say don't do it. That happened to me. I had an M&A offer that was life changing when I was 22 years old. I would return 3x the amount I raised. Not bad right? I brought the deal to my lead VC. And he wouldn't sign the paperwork. "I'm not thinking big enough. Imagine what I can get in 5 years. Forget 3x, think 30x". I'll write about that story in a future newsletter post (link in bio). So, for most entrepreneurs, I say make your money doing bootstrapped. Support your family. Buy your first house. Retire your parents. Do whatcha gotta do. That "makes a ding in the universe" in a different way. It makes a ding in your universe. Don't be shy to share this. Let's have an honest convo about this.