Nick Chirls

Totally. Every single time a company gets acquired, there is a dance, right? Between how much goes to retention for the founders and how much goes to the cap table. Almost every time, unless it's like a true at scale company. And so you are hoping, relying on the founder to treat you well, to do the right thing. And founders many times, it goes both ways.

Totally. Every single time a company gets acquired, there is a dance, right? Between how much goes to retention for the founders and how much goes to the cap table. Almost every time, unless it's like a true at scale company. And so you are hoping, relying on the founder to treat you well, to do the right thing. And founders many times, it goes both ways.

Totally. Every single time a company gets acquired, there is a dance, right? Between how much goes to retention for the founders and how much goes to the cap table. Almost every time, unless it's like a true at scale company. And so you are hoping, relying on the founder to treat you well, to do the right thing. And founders many times, it goes both ways.

Founders are relying on investors to do the right thing. So my view is if you are in situations where the founder is is doing the wrong thing, right? The legal agreements are not going to help you out. And you have actually made a bad investment decision at the very beginning to have worked with someone that won't do the right thing.

Founders are relying on investors to do the right thing. So my view is if you are in situations where the founder is is doing the wrong thing, right? The legal agreements are not going to help you out. And you have actually made a bad investment decision at the very beginning to have worked with someone that won't do the right thing.

Founders are relying on investors to do the right thing. So my view is if you are in situations where the founder is is doing the wrong thing, right? The legal agreements are not going to help you out. And you have actually made a bad investment decision at the very beginning to have worked with someone that won't do the right thing.

I hear you. And I think in some ways I value the way in which we come to that conclusion and the communication through it more than the actual decision. So like if a founder saying calls me and says, Hey, look, here's the situation. It's a difficult decision. I'm not sure there's a right and a wrong. Can we talk through it together? Can I hear your perspective?

I hear you. And I think in some ways I value the way in which we come to that conclusion and the communication through it more than the actual decision. So like if a founder saying calls me and says, Hey, look, here's the situation. It's a difficult decision. I'm not sure there's a right and a wrong. Can we talk through it together? Can I hear your perspective?

I hear you. And I think in some ways I value the way in which we come to that conclusion and the communication through it more than the actual decision. So like if a founder saying calls me and says, Hey, look, here's the situation. It's a difficult decision. I'm not sure there's a right and a wrong. Can we talk through it together? Can I hear your perspective?

As long as there is an honest, real, transparent conversation between a founder and investor, there's going to be, over the course of a lifetime of company, there's going to be lots of different friction. There's going to be lots of disagreements. And there's going to be lots of opportunities to either destroy trust or improve trust. So my view is that as long as there is

As long as there is an honest, real, transparent conversation between a founder and investor, there's going to be, over the course of a lifetime of company, there's going to be lots of different friction. There's going to be lots of disagreements. And there's going to be lots of opportunities to either destroy trust or improve trust. So my view is that as long as there is

As long as there is an honest, real, transparent conversation between a founder and investor, there's going to be, over the course of a lifetime of company, there's going to be lots of different friction. There's going to be lots of disagreements. And there's going to be lots of opportunities to either destroy trust or improve trust. So my view is that as long as there is

a way to communicate through it and to listen to each other honestly, and to come to a place where both people feel like they've been heard, their perspective has been heard, and there's been a decision made that actually represents as best a founder can all the different parties. I'm totally fine with that, even if I'm not getting the best deal. These are not contemplated in legal agreements.

a way to communicate through it and to listen to each other honestly, and to come to a place where both people feel like they've been heard, their perspective has been heard, and there's been a decision made that actually represents as best a founder can all the different parties. I'm totally fine with that, even if I'm not getting the best deal. These are not contemplated in legal agreements.

a way to communicate through it and to listen to each other honestly, and to come to a place where both people feel like they've been heard, their perspective has been heard, and there's been a decision made that actually represents as best a founder can all the different parties. I'm totally fine with that, even if I'm not getting the best deal. These are not contemplated in legal agreements.

So I'm like, all the legal agreements don't matter. Maybe preferred and common doesn't matter that much. And really all we're talking about is trust.

So I'm like, all the legal agreements don't matter. Maybe preferred and common doesn't matter that much. And really all we're talking about is trust.

So I'm like, all the legal agreements don't matter. Maybe preferred and common doesn't matter that much. And really all we're talking about is trust.

I found that more often than not, a real truthful conversation between a founder and an early investor where there's actual real trust. often leads to a place where the shooting in the head at the end of that doesn't happen.

I found that more often than not, a real truthful conversation between a founder and an early investor where there's actual real trust. often leads to a place where the shooting in the head at the end of that doesn't happen.