The VC Money Dance

“Why raising money from a venture capitalist is like the money dance at your next wedding reception.”

According to wikipedia:
The concept of “Money Dance” is that the male guests pay for the privilege of dancing with the bride. Customarily, the best man begins dancing with the bride, pinning money onto her wedding gown or putting it into a purse, which she carries especially for the purpose.

Here are my 5 reasons why the ‘money dance’ is similar to raising VC funds for your company:

You’re never sure how long to dance or how much to give
You either get way too much money, or not enough… it is rarely just right
No one really wants to do the money dance, but it is very necessary to pay for the ensuing honeymoon and start up expenses of your relationship
People wait a long time for this day and when it comes, some tend to focus on the little things that stress you out and not the big picture
A line begins to form of participants willing to give you money, but only after you get a couple donations rolling in

Those who’ve raised venture capital know that there is a careful ‘dance’ you need to choreograph. At some point, you will have to jump out of your comfort zone, all the while, you’ll need to act natural. Good luck not stepping on anyone’s toes!