--- type: "article" title: "Two sentences that shut down any VC conversation" summary: "I turned down $500K twice this month. Here's exactly what I told them" newsletter: "The Weekly Shift" newsletter_handle: "franmendez" newsletter_url: "https://usecommune.com/n/franmendez" author: "Fran Mendez (@fmvilas)" published: "2026-02-27T12:00:00.000Z" canonical_url: "https://usecommune.com/n/franmendez/a/two-sentences-that-shut-down-any-vc-conversation" markdown_url: "https://usecommune.com/n/franmendez/a/two-sentences-that-shut-down-any-vc-conversation.md" chat_url: "https://usecommune.com/n/franmendez/a/two-sentences-that-shut-down-any-vc-conversation/chat" source_url: "https://newsletter.fmvilas.me/posts/two-sentences-that-shut-down-any-vc-conversation" body_source: "imported" likes: 3 replies: 5 body_words: 489 --- # Two sentences that shut down any VC conversation ![The Weekly Shift](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tppsnKSSV6RtcQVLeDZHT8/5nEuhXaXN7FANZ4f1qdrrM?auto=) I recently got a couple of VCs interested in investing in Commune. Whenever this happens, I always ask why they want to invest and what they are asking in exchange. It's always the same. They want a huge part of the cake. Usually, they want more than half at this stage. And they offer some good money. It's good for me, but it's actually not much for them. I'm talking about tickets from 200k to 500k USD. However, what many people never tell you is that VCs strictly want [hockey stick growth](https://www.techtarget.com/searchcustomerexperience/definition/hockey-stick-growth). They don't want to help you build a sustainable business. They want exponential growth. If you won't make it happen, they'll close your company. Actually, it becomes their company because you sold it in exchange for some investment. That's fair, and it's a good trade if that's exactly what you want. However, it's incredibly risky at this stage to take that money because I only have the promise that it may work. I still have to validate Commune actually works. I've been there. I've seen a great startup fail because their investors forced the founders to change their strategy in the middle of the course. That change damaged the company completely. What could have been a really sustainable business for those founders and perhaps one or two more employees ended up closing for good. I don't want that for Commune. I want Commune to be sustainable, so I won't take VC money this early. Sure, I'm not new to this, and I know that at some point I may have to accept it as the only way to go. But I'll only do that once the business is fully validated. At that stage, you are playing a completely different game. You don't have to give up 50 percent of the company. Taking VC money can make a great impact on your company, but it can also ruin it quickly. In both of my conversations with VCs in the last month, I honestly told them I don't want Commune to become a huge corporation. I also told them I don't want to be a millionaire. I just want to have enough money to have a great life — and I'm cheap! If you ever want to shut down a conversation with a VC, these two sentences are pure gold 😄 I'll keep bootstrapping Commune and we'll see where it takes us. Perhaps I fail to make it work, it just stays small and sustainable, or maybe it becomes so big that I have to accept I can't do this as a bootstrapped business anymore. So this is my question for you this week: when do you think it actually makes sense to trade control of your company for a pile of venture capital? Hit the button below and let's chat on Commune. [![](https://embed.filekitcdn.com/e/tppsnKSSV6RtcQVLeDZHT8/wS6akGKJ7qvSAPuMdS3vE7/email)](https://usecommune.com/n/franmendez?article_timestamp=1772193087) *​* [![linkedin](https://functions-js.kit.com/icons?icon=linkedin&foreground=ffffff&background=153461&shape=square&v=3)​](https://linkedin.com/in/fmvilas)[![youtube](https://functions-js.kit.com/icons?icon=youtube&foreground=ffffff&background=153461&shape=square&v=3)​](https://youtube.com/@fmvilas)[![github](https://functions-js.kit.com/icons?icon=github&foreground=ffffff&background=153461&shape=square&v=3)​](https://github.com/fmvilas) Av. Joaquín Costa, 16, Badajoz, Badajoz 06001 ​[Unsubscribe](https://preview.kit-mail3.com/unsubscribe) · [Preferences](https://preview.kit-mail3.com/preferences)​ *** ## Discussion (5 replies) Numbering shows the reply tree: `2.1` is a reply to `2`. Message text is reproduced verbatim as posted. ### 1. Fran Mendez (@fmvilas) - 2026-02-27T12:02:03.329Z When do you think it actually makes sense to trade control of your company for a pile of venture capital? ### 2. Ismael Gutiérrez (@ismael) - 2026-02-27T13:38:09.273Z Es complicado, la verdad. Yo creo que planificaría una hoja de ruta según “cierto sucesos” y tener pensado previamente qué hacer según aparezcan porque si vas guiando por las emociones, irás ya condicionado. Estudia tus valores y a dónde quieres llegar antes de que aparezcan las oportunidades 🙏 ### 3. Kevin Duffey (@kevinduffey) - 2026-02-27T19:07:41.052Z 50%?? I thought they usually take 10% to 20% for a chunk of money. What I am working on.. given the market space, etc.. no way in hell I'd give more than 10% to 20% and it better be fore more than 500K. I am no CEO. 500K wont land you a CEO + a couple devs, hardware, etc.. you'll be out of money in no time. I dont have a desire to continue to look for more money so my first hire would be a CEO/go get us more money person. Then a 2nd dev to help me get shit done. I would assume 3rd hire is a sales/marketing person that can start getting after the potential customers, etc.. right? But like you.. I can NOT take money to be told how to navigate what I am working on. If someone invests they believe in my vision and direction, not just some payday to control and fire/shut down/steal if they dont like the way things are going. F that. At that point I'd rather open source, and work a local shit paying job and try to build the community and in to something. I am not out to make others super rich any more. Time for me to make a little on my hard work. ### 4. Fran Mendez (@fmvilas) - 2026-03-01T14:32:25.726Z > Quoting Ismael Gutiérrez (@ismael): Es complicado, la verdad. Yo creo que planificaría una hoja de ruta según “cierto sucesos” y tener pensado previamente qué hacer según aparezcan porque si vas guiando por las emociones, irás ya condic… Uff, planificar una hoja de ruta a estas alturas es bastante complicado por no decir que no sirve de mucho. Todo está tan en el aire que Commune dentro de un año puede no parecerse en nada al de hoy 😅 ### 5. Fran Mendez (@fmvilas) - 2026-03-01T14:35:45.710Z > Quoting Kevin Duffey (@kevinduffey): 50%?? I thought they usually take 10% to 20% for a chunk of money. What I am working on.. given the market space, etc.. no way in hell I'd give more than 10% to 20% and it better be fore more than 500… I mean, if you accept the investment, most likely also accept that they're part of the board. So they have a say. I think it's fair as long as this has been discussed previously and expectations are clear. But yeah, taking 50% at this stage is absolutely a no-go to me.