---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I participate in a Series A deal…"
description: "\"When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs, entrepreneur-friendly terms go out the window. VCs remain attached to age-old traditional industry term..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg"
---

#  When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs…

![“When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs, entrepreneur-friendly terms go out the window. VCs remain attached to age-old traditional industry terms. 'Ratchet,' 'carry,' 'vetoes' - you name it.” quote by Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg)

> “When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs, entrepreneur-friendly terms go out the window. VCs remain attached to age-old traditional industry terms. 'Ratchet,' 'carry,' 'vetoes' - you name it.”

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

VCs often cling to legacy terms, limiting flexibility for entrepreneurs in Series A deals.

**In simple terms:** VCs use old terms that can hurt entrepreneurs.

Key Takeaway

Negotiate for fairer terms.

Themes

finance entrepreneurship negotiation

Mood

cautious realistic

Type

advisory pragmatic

When to use this quote

- startup fundraising
- seed rounds
- term negotiations
- investment meetings

Key Concepts

term sheets power dynamics venture capital

Questions to Reflect On

- What terms are most restrictive for you?
- How can entrepreneurs protect themselves?

A Different Perspective

VCs may have legitimate risk concerns justifying certain terms.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/)

## Related quotes

> [I myself know some people who are gay. We're on friendly terms. I'm not prejudiced in any way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/i-myself-know-some-people-who-are-gay-we-re-on-friendly-terms-i-m-not/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [Our job is not to expose the mystery but to participate in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nepo/our-job-is-not-to-expose-the-mystery-but-to-participate-in-it/)

[Mark Nepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-nepo/)

> [Our democracy cannot be left in the hands of those who would rather watch or participate in a train wreck than stop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/our-democracy-cannot-be-left-in-the-hands-of-those-who-would-rather/)

[Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/)

> [“‎"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/do-more-than-belong-participate-do-more-than-care-help-do-more-than/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [I will do my best to try to unite the country. To invite people from the south and east to the government. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petro-poroshenko/i-will-do-my-best-to-try-to-unite-the-country-to-invite-people-from/)

[Petro Poroshenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petro-poroshenko/)

> [In whose wonder do you get to participate today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/in-whose-wonder-do-you-get-to-participate-today/)

[Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/)

> [It happened to me on 'King of the Hill,' where I'd left it before the end and didn't really participate in the ending, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-daniels/it-happened-to-me-on-king-of-the-hill-where-i-d-left-it-before-the/)

[Greg Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-daniels/)

> [I decided to host my show 'Kiss and Cry' hoping that people actually want to participate and feel more familiar with figure skating. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuna-kim/i-decided-to-host-my-show-kiss-and-cry-hoping-that-people-actually/)

[Yuna Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuna-kim/)

> [If you don't participate, you're just taking up oxygen. (Bunny) Life is a banquet. Approach it with hunger. (Chuck)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-you-don-t-participate-you-re-just-taking-up-oxygen-bunny-life-is-a/)

[Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/)

> [I just try to find things that either need to be done, should be done, or where I can make a difference in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-allen/i-just-try-to-find-things-that-either-need-to-be-done-should-be-done/)

[Paul Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-allen/)

> [The American way was for commerce, personal relationships, and religion to be voluntary. No one was forced to participate in something he didn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/the-american-way-was-for-commerce-personal-relationships-and-religion/)

[Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/)

> [I think if we're going to have a requirement that everyone have equal access to insurance, you really have to have a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-williams/i-think-if-we-re-going-to-have-a-requirement-that-everyone-have-equal/)

[Ron Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-williams/)

> [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/)

[Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/)

> [It's very hard to participate in society when you can't talk to people on the medium that they talk to other people on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wylie/it-s-very-hard-to-participate-in-society-when-you-can-t-talk-to/)

[Christopher Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-wylie/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

## More by Gil Penchina

> [When trying to start a company, your enemy isn't criticism, anger or insults. Your enemy is apathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-trying-to-start-a-company-your-enemy-isn-t-criticism-anger-or/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [It's clear to me now that Ethereum is the new currency of the Internet. It's way ahead of where Paypal was in its day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/it-s-clear-to-me-now-that-ethereum-is-the-new-currency-of-the/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [I started angel investing because I like hanging out with entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/i-started-angel-investing-because-i-like-hanging-out-with/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Ethereum is enabling a new form of financing in ICOs that is like a massive gravitational pull - dragging every entrepreneur with a sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/ethereum-is-enabling-a-new-form-of-financing-in-icos-that-is-like-a/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [In the U.S., Wikia has content sponsorships with top brands, including Blizzard Activision, Sony, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, ABC Television and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/in-the-u-s-wikia-has-content-sponsorships-with-top-brands-including/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Whether someone wants to learn the words to a new Lady Gaga song they heard on the radio or to verify the lyrics to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/whether-someone-wants-to-learn-the-words-to-a-new-lady-gaga-song-they/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [I was one of the early folks at eBay, and by 1999, it was completely overrun by consultants from McKinsey, Bain, and BCG. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/i-was-one-of-the-early-folks-at-ebay-and-by-1999-it-was-completely/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Along the way, I learned the key to launching a company. It's all about storytelling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/along-the-way-i-learned-the-key-to-launching-a-company-it-s-all-about/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [When I first started as an angel investor, I was excited to start investing in startups - but I didn't know much. I couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-i-first-started-as-an-angel-investor-i-was-excited-to-start/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [You're under tremendous pressure, and everyone needs you to be perfect all the time, and that often creates a perverse incentive to not tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/you-re-under-tremendous-pressure-and-everyone-needs-you-to-be-perfect/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [For merchants, it is an amazing opportunity. Compared to Paypal, crypto has no credit card fees, no charge backs, no 'Oops, we decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/for-merchants-it-is-an-amazing-opportunity-compared-to-paypal-crypto/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Any ICO going forward that doesn't use a 'Ticketmaster-style' queueing engine is clearly trying to ruin the ecosystem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/any-ico-going-forward-that-doesn-t-use-a-ticketmaster-style-queueing/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Mobile was Internet 2.0. It changed everything. Crypto is Internet 3.0.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/mobile-was-internet-2-0-it-changed-everything-crypto-is-internet-3-0/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Crypto today is a libertarian paradise. If you send your money to the wrong place, it's gone. If you send it to a merchant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/crypto-today-is-a-libertarian-paradise-if-you-send-your-money-to-the/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

> [Startups are all about breaking the rules and changing the 'natural order' of things. So let's do that for Series A terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/startups-are-all-about-breaking-the-rules-and-changing-the-natural/)

[Gil Penchina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

[Explore all 26 Gil Penchina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs, entrepreneur-friendly terms go out the window. VCs remain attached to age-old traditional industry terms. 'Ratchet,' 'carry,' 'vetoes' - you name it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gil Penchina"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-with-vcs-entrepreneur-friendly/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-with-vcs-entrepreneur-friendly/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dad/gil-penchina-22864_business_when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-wi_282182.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I participate in a Series A deal with VCs, entrepreneur-friendly terms go out the window. VCs remain…” — Gil Penchina",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Gil Penchina",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-penchina/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I participate in a Series...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-with-vcs-entrepreneur-friendly/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-penchina/when-i-participate-in-a-series-a-deal-with-vcs-entrepreneur-friendly/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
