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.
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.