[greenspot]

This. So true and extremely well framed.

The only thing I can add: At the beginning of a relationship, everybody is kind. Background checks not just help, they are essential, do them.

Getting into conflicts and power plays with VCs, or just any person at some point, should be expected but there are still huge differences in how people deal in messy situations in terms of morale and ethics. You will find everything between feeling uneasy and facing a nuclear war.

[wiz21c]

>>> there are still huge differences in how people deal in messy situations in terms of morale and ethics.

so true. Problem is that in my small business experience, those in power are there because they have very flexible views on morale and ethics (i.e. they think they have morale/ethics, but they actually forget it when their company is at stakes). Being the ethical guy I'm of course totally biased. But the parent post is so right : having ethics/morale can be extremely damaging for you because you'll have to work with people who absolutely don't get how you think and that'll be super exhausting. Know yourself before going into that game.