Totally agree- I didnt mean not to understand the incentives, I just meant don't paint all VCs as a group as having a certain set of values or goals. Everyone,

Totally agree- I didnt mean not to understand the incentives, I just meant don't paint all VCs as a group as having a certain set of values or goals. Everyone, whether VC or entrepreneur, acts in response to a combination of the incentives in front of them and the rewards they value. If you understand a person's goals and the incentives in front of them, you can often predict what they are going to do reasonably accurately. Whether entrepreneur or VC, some people want a lifestyle business; some people want fame; some people want fortune; some people want to solve hard problems; some people want to create meaningful change in the world; etc. Different industries offer different ways to achieve any of those goals with varying levels of risk. By all means, do everything you can with any business partner, whether a colleague, a VC, or a potential acquirer to understand what their goals are, and what behavior they are incentivized towards in their effort to reach that goal.