Some people, when asked to jump, ask “How high?” The VC says “Dance!” and they say “What style?”

VCs want their startups to take huge risks in growing fast because their own risk is spread across a large portfolio of companies: it’s fine if most crash and burn as long as a few succeed huge. If you are an individual startup, this strategy sucks. You don’t have a partnership when your goals are in opposition; at best you have a boss and a job. At worst, the VC is an organ grinder and you’re the monkey.