25. I just sent an email to a VC with two typos. Should I resend the email? No, no, no and no. • VCs want to see strength. Not arrogance usually, but strength. Some wimpy email apologizing for some typos isn’t strength. • It shows poor prioritization. This is really a good use of your time? • VCs have lots of typos, too. They don’t even care. It’s OK. 26. What should a startup founder do if a potential investor is rude or difficult? What is the best way to end a meeting and a follow-up that appears to be a waste of time? Should you remove them from your company communications, etc.? Look, I can’t stand this either but ... get over it. smile, say “thank you” and move on. • VCs are a pretty ego-driven bunch in part because they themselves are being judged as a number (their returns) and in part because that’s the internal culture at many firms (my cos. are the best ones), in part because many are really smart, and in part because they aren’t the CEO. They aren’t the ones really creating value, not really. • They often talk a little bit out of the arse b/c they don’t truly have domain/operational experience in an area (they do too many things to be an expert in any one except venture capital itself) • AND. They usually hear HUNDREDS of pitches and meet more than hundreds more founders a year. There’s no excuse for being rude. Mom taught us that. While you don’t need to be sympathetic you need to understand that’s how VC are and thicken your skin. Thickening you skin, dealing with all different sorts of folks and doing what it takes to win -- that’s a big part of the job of CEO. And ... you may just need that guy for your Series C. You never know. SAASTR.COM 24