Episode 7: I will be an exception

On the road to entrepreneurship, the introduction of venture capital (VC) is often seen as a key step in the rapid growth of a company.Behind the seemingly positive factors of capital injection, resource integration, and market expansion, there is the risk that the founder's control over the company will gradually disintegrate.Travis, an entrepreneur full of ideals and passion, had no doubt about this when he first founded his own company, thinking that he would be the exception to break the rules and maintain control.

Travis’s story is not unique.Countless entrepreneurs carry unlimited vision for their business in the start-up period and firmly believe that their leadership and vision can lead the company to glory.However, with the intervention of venture capital, the scale of enterprises has expanded rapidly, and professional managers have begun to appear frequently in management.These experienced professionals often have more systematic and international management knowledge, and their joining has indeed promoted the standardized operation and market competitiveness of the company to a certain extent.

However, it is precisely this kind of standardized operation that often causes founders to lose direct control of the enterprise without knowing it.As the voice of professional managers within the company gradually increases, the core powers of founders such as decision-making power and personnel appointment power are beginning to be challenged.With the support of venture capital, companies have gradually embarked on the path of scale and standardization, but behind this there is also a hidden risk of founders being marginalized.

Travis also faced such a dilemma after bringing in venture capital.He watched his business gradually grow from a small workshop to a leader in the industry, but at the same time he felt that his control over the business was weakening.He witnessed the rise of professional managers in the enterprise, and also witnessed some members of the founding team leaving because they were dissatisfied with the new management model.

Faced with such a challenge, Travis began to reflect.He realized that the introduction of venture capital was not a simple capital injection, but a profound change in control, management and even the future development direction of the company.In this change, founders need to be more clear about their positioning. They must not only be good at utilizing the resources and opportunities brought by venture capital, but also maintain persistence and control over the core values ​​of the company.

Travis began to actively adjust his strategy. He tried to communicate with venture capital investors and sought a more balanced distribution of control rights.At the same time, he also began to strengthen internal team building and cultivate a group of core team members who are loyal to the company's vision and mission.Through these efforts, Travis gradually regained control of the company and led the company towards a more stable and sustainable development path.

Travis’s story tells us that the introduction of venture capital is an important step in the development of a company, but it is also the beginning of the control challenges that founders face.During this process, founders need to keep a clear mind and firm beliefs. They must not only be good at using external resources to promote corporate development, but also stick to their own control and corporate core values.Only in this way can we ensure that enterprises can achieve real growth and sustainable development with the support of venture capital.