Great question. The key is to position your questions of being indicative of commitment and excitement, and part of a measured pace of engagement, rather than

Great question. The key is to position your questions of being indicative of commitment and excitement, and part of a measured pace of engagement, rather than skepticism. I like the line about being an investor. Here's a script you can steal from mercilessly. I've spent many hours with your team, and we've covered a ton of topics: the technology, the vision, the product, the market, and the opportunity. I'm completely sold on all these points. There's just one area we haven't covered, and that's the positioning and goals of the business itself. I'm in this for the long haul and I think of myself as an investor, so I have a bunch of detailed questions for you about the company's finances and plans. Of course, I realize it's very bad for all of us if this information goes out, so I understand if you need me to sign an (additional) nondisclosure agreement before we get in to it. But knowing this will help me understand where we've been and where we're going, as well as reinforcing my gut feel that what you're offering represents a meaningful stake in this business going forward. Good luck. ;)