Don’t let investors set your path
Read time 2.0 minutes. | Earlier this week, I spoke with a founder who had just met a well-known growth fund. The partner told them: “If you can triple revenue over the next 12 months and expand into two new markets, we’d love to lead your Series A with a big check.” | The founder walked away excited. It felt concrete: real numbers, real milestones, and the allure of a prestigious investor waiting on the other side. But here’s the reality—this is just another way of saying: “If you keep growing, we might take a look later.” | Why? Because that’s the default stance of later-stage investors.
They’re in the business of optionality. Meeting seed founders early lets them track progress without committing. By offering conditional enthusiasm, they avoid closing the door while keeping all the leverage. | The Trap for Founders
It’s tempting to anchor your plans around this kind of feedback. But the risk is you end up chasing a phantom—building your roadmap around a hypothetical offer instead of focusing on what actually drives your business forward. | | Daily News for Curious Minds | Be the smartest person in the room by reading 1440! Dive into 1440, where 4 million Americans find their daily, fact-based news fix. We navigate through 100+ sources to deliver a comprehensive roundup from every corner of the internet – politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a quick, 5-minute newsletter. It's completely free and devoid of bias or political influence, ensuring you get the facts straight. Subscribe to 1440 today. | Sign up now! |
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| | How to Reframe These Conversations | See it as validation, not a promise. It’s good to know they’re watching, but it’s not a term sheet. Understand the incentive. Funds benefit from keeping every door open—they rarely have a reason to say no outright. Stick to your own strategy. Your milestones should come from customer needs and business logic, not an investor’s throwaway conditions.
| Conditional promises from future-stage investors are applause, not commitment. Smile, take the compliment, and get back to building on your own terms. | | Have you changed plans based on VC feedback? | | | Onwards and Upwards, | | Liam Gill | | In partnership with |  |
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| How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential | | Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently. | Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe. | No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso. | Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO. | The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18. | Invest While You Still Can | Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals. |
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