> If you raise VC money, the above scenarios are considered a failure. You will have to shutdown/get acquired for nothing. There are several noteworthy excepti

> If you raise VC money, the above scenarios are considered a failure. You will have to shutdown/get acquired for nothing. There are several noteworthy exceptions to this generalization. If you retain board control, you’re free to run a lifestyle business and pay out dividends to you and your investors. Plenty of VC funded companies have founder-controlled boards. Also, you can negotiate a buyout of your VC’s and shift to lifestyle once you fail to grow.