Brian Rodriguez: An investor from one of my clients is interested in investing in my business, but I’m not sure how to decline politely without damaging my relationship with either my client or the investor.

• Be ready for the conversation when they ask what it would take to make it work. Test if there is a version of the deal that works before defaulting to a hard no.
• Clarify that the deal that they’re proposing is not a good fit given the criteria that they offer.
• Define the criteria of what will work for you. Explore partial alignment like limited investment without exclusivity to protect autonomy.
• Once they have a better understanding, it’s easier to decline or have better terms in the negotiation.
• Reach out to an expert who can provide further guidance, and seek legal advice for this specific situation.

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