<i>And even if you’re successful, your new partners will be heavily involved in just about every decision that concerns strategy and direction.</i><p>This sounds like the best reason of all to avoid VC. I don't know about you, but I don't need some wannabe who think he/she is a brilliant strategist, but who knows nothing about our business, our market(s), our technology, our mission, our values, or anything else, coming in and trying to dictate our strategy. As far as I'm concerned, all I would really want from a VC would be money, and - if they <i>actually</i> have useful connections - some introductions / emails / phone calls to help us get in the door with prospective customers. But strategy? Thanks, but no thanks. That's the founding team's job, IMO.