Advice is free—actioning bad advice isn't. Early-stage founders are bombarded with advice. A lot of it from investors who have never operated a business, never ran marketing, never led sales.

And yet, many founders take VCs' advice as sacrosanct. And many VCs feel like they can and should opine on everything. If many people treat you like an expert, you must be one... right?

VCs have a lot to offer founders. But, like everyone, they have circles of competence. 

Be careful who you listen to.

Why you should listen

• Why power dynamics between VCs and founders can distort decision-making and advice-seeking.
• Why you should be skeptical of advice that is outside of a VC's circle of competence.

Keywords
customer needs, business problems, power dynamics, VCs, founders, advice

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