---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important question venture…"
description: "\"The most important question venture capitalists ask is what prevents your company from growing faster.\" — Glenn Kelman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg"
---

#  The most important question venture capitalists ask is…

![“The most important question venture capitalists ask is what prevents your company from growing faster.” quote by Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg)

> “The most important question venture capitalists ask is what prevents your company from growing faster.”

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

## About This Quote

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

VCs ask what obstacles slow growth to identify risks and opportunities.

**In simple terms:** Identify growth blockers to accelerate success.

Key Takeaway

Uncover and remove growth barriers.

Themes

investment growth risk assessment

Mood

critical forward‑looking

Type

diagnostic motivational

When to use this quote

- startup scaling
- fundraising
- product development

Key Concepts

scalability market fit

Questions to Reflect On

- What is your biggest growth hurdle?
- How can you turn a barrier into a lever?

A Different Perspective

Focusing only on obstacles may overlook strengths.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Capitalists Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capitalists-ask-4324539/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Company Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company-growing-817321/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Prevents Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevents-company-4324540/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Question Venture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-venture-4324538/) [Venture capitalists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/venture-capitalists/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/)

## Related quotes

> [If a company is growing, then people's roles often grow and change, and opportunities abound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/if-a-company-is-growing-then-people-s-roles-often-grow-and-change-and/)

[Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/)

> [In the simplest terms, a fast-growing company can't keep growing at the same fast rate forever. It eventually has to slow down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/in-the-simplest-terms-a-fast-growing-company-can-t-keep-growing-at/)

[Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/)

> [The faster we grew, the more stores we had open, the more money we made. Employees move quickly up the ranks of a company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-huizenga/the-faster-we-grew-the-more-stores-we-had-open-the-more-money-we-made/)

[Wayne Huizenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-huizenga/)

> [A startup job is an investment, after all: Venture capitalists may wager money, but you're staking something more precious - your time. And unlike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/a-startup-job-is-an-investment-after-all-venture-capitalists-may/)

[Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/)

> [First of all, in terms of investment in Internet-related developments, venture capitalists - once burned - are now very cautious and are investing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-of-all-in-terms-of-investment-in-internet-related-developments/)

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

> [“Indeed, the recurrent critiques of the lack of diversity of Silicon Valley's VC sector and the companies that it backs can be seen as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haskel/indeed-the-recurrent-critiques-of-the-lack-of-diversity-of-silicon/)

[Jonathan Haskel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haskel/)

> [ “He sums up the importance and power of business model innovation this way: “I think historically where we \[venture capitalists\] fail is when we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-johnson/he-sums-up-the-importance-and-power-of-business-model-innovation-this/)

[Mark W. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-johnson/)

> [While I'm a venture capitalist who invests in early-stage tech companies, I often feel like a professional emailer and conference call maker. I try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-feld/while-i-m-a-venture-capitalist-who-invests-in-early-stage-tech/)

[Brad Feld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-feld/)

> [Some of my best friends are Venture Capitalists, but let's face it, a hamster with Alzheimer's could make those kind of numbers. It's great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/some-of-my-best-friends-are-venture-capitalists-but-let-s-face-it-a/)

[Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/)

> [The chance to interact with big shots is drawing scads of aspiring entrepreneurs to Quora, along with venture capitalists and other Valley players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-lyons/the-chance-to-interact-with-big-shots-is-drawing-scads-of-aspiring/)

[Daniel Lyons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-lyons/)

> [True innovation takes at least 10 to 15 years, whereas the longest that private venture capitalists are routinely willing to wait is five years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/true-innovation-takes-at-least-10-to-15-years-whereas-the-longest/)

[Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/)

> [The government is somewhat inept, but the private sector is inept in general. How many companies do venture capitalists invest in that go poorly?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-government-is-somewhat-inept-but-the-private-sector-is-inept-in/)

[Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/)

> ["(Big name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010." Every entrepreneur has a few slides about how the market potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/big-name-research-firm-says-our-market-will-be-50-billion-in-2010/)

[Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/)

> [Most venture capitalists won't read a business plan unless the entrepreneur is introduced to them by a contact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/most-venture-capitalists-won-t-read-a-business-plan-unless-the/)

[Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/)

> [Harvard and Yale concentrated with venture capitalists that got the best calls and brainpower. Very few firms made most of the money, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/harvard-and-yale-concentrated-with-venture-capitalists-that-got-the/)

[Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/)

## More by Glenn Kelman

> [If your values don't alienate anyone, it is just platitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/if-your-values-don-t-alienate-anyone-it-is-just-platitude/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [Employers are as sensitive to housing costs as their employees, which is why, when we build more houses, we create more jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/employers-are-as-sensitive-to-housing-costs-as-their-employees-which/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [When my brother and I were 11, our father designed a 17-foot boat for sailing around the world. He'd never ventured more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/when-my-brother-and-i-were-11-our-father-designed-a-17-foot-boat-for/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [We don't need to take the world by storm. We just need to make our customers happy, and when we do that, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-don-t-need-to-take-the-world-by-storm-we-just-need-to-make-our/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [I learned, even when all hell is breaking loose, first to take time to make my environment productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-even-when-all-hell-is-breaking-loose-first-to-take-time-to/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [Every firing happens differently except in this one respect: the person being fired can't believe how fast it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/every-firing-happens-differently-except-in-this-one-respect-the/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [People can smell a lack of respect from a mile away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/people-can-smell-a-lack-of-respect-from-a-mile-away/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [Almost everything is interesting if you work at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/almost-everything-is-interesting-if-you-work-at-it/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [I think the corporate world is pretty starved for personality. The reason you have comic strips like 'Dilbert' and sitcoms like 'The Office' is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-think-the-corporate-world-is-pretty-starved-for-personality-the/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [It's easy to grow 300% in your first year or two, when you're starting with nothing and people first hear about your service. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/it-s-easy-to-grow-300-in-your-first-year-or-two-when-you-re-starting/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [Most of the tech CEOs I know used to think that moving to the Midwest or the South was beneath us, a good tactic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/most-of-the-tech-ceos-i-know-used-to-think-that-moving-to-the-midwest/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [I really admire the fact that whenever Marc Singer gets a call from someone running late, he says he's running late, too. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-really-admire-the-fact-that-whenever-marc-singer-gets-a-call-from/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [I learned that it's important to treat yourself like a work in progress, to think about how you can improve, to listen to feedback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/i-learned-that-it-s-important-to-treat-yourself-like-a-work-in/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [When I was 28, running products for a company I'd co-founded, the CEO called to say that I had a problem with the board,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/when-i-was-28-running-products-for-a-company-i-d-co-founded-the-ceo/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

> [We need to create technologies - and a culture of respect, and an updated legal doctrine, too - that allow creative folks to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/we-need-to-create-technologies-and-a-culture-of-respect-and-an/)

[Glenn Kelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

[Explore all 96 Glenn Kelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/)

## 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": "The most important question venture capitalists ask is what prevents your company from growing faster.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Glenn Kelman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/the-most-important-question-venture-capitalists-ask-is-what-prevents/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/the-most-important-question-venture-capitalists-ask-is-what-prevents/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26a/glenn-kelman-6951_business_the-most-important-question-venture-capi_2120676.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The most important question venture capitalists ask is what prevents your company from growing faster.” — Glenn Kelman",
                "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": "Glenn Kelman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-kelman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The most important question venture capitalists...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/the-most-important-question-venture-capitalists-ask-is-what-prevents/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-kelman/the-most-important-question-venture-capitalists-ask-is-what-prevents/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
