I got a kick out of reading Guy Kawasaki’s March 25th blog, The Art of Sucking Up. It is a skill and many entrepreneurs should probably learn to use it every once in a while when dealing with investors.

Not that entrepreneurs always have to suck up to investors, but they should at least be civil to them at all times. Doesn’t sound too unreasonable, does it?

The funny thing is that some of the smartest people in the world don’t get it.

I once consulted for a startup founded by this brilliant technologist. Somehow, he always took offense with board members who would dare ask a reasonable question about his financial models, marketing plan, or heaven forbid, his development plan. How dare you question me- you don’t know what you’re talking about! was just about the tone of his every response.

It got to the point where some of the company officers would cringe when anyone would start to ask a question of the founder at a board meeting. Needless to say, the relationship between the founder and the investors became increasingly strained.

What do you think happened when it came time to raise more money from investors?

Alienating your current investors is never a good idea. Even if you decide you don’t want them in your next round, you’ll soon find out that many of their friends won’t be coming around to invest either.

The moral of the story:

Don’t take money from an investor if you don’t think you’re going to get along with them. Otherwise, you put yourself in a position where you just might bite the hand that feeds you. And that is never a good idea.

© Eye on Startups & The Startup Guidebook