What Should the Relationship Between Founders and Investors Be?

Originally published 2021-07-18Robin’s commentary

Storage information

Bookmarks and reading positions are stored in this browser. Manage and back them up in My Reading.

Collected in Robin Shen’s Field Notes · Content type and attribution are shown above

English translation of the Chinese post originally published 2021-07-18. Translated 2026-11-05 with AI assistance. Historical figures and claims have not been updated or independently verified. 中文原文

Reading guide

Founders and investors should sit on the same side of the table. Investors help founders solve problems and face challenges, caring not only about short-term orders or user counts but also their direction and thinking when choosing a path.

Key points

Founders and investors should sit on the same side, not opposite sides.
Investors help solve problems and face challenges beside founders.
Direction and thinking matter alongside short-term orders and users.

Trees at different stages of growth with connected roots on cream paper, suggesting patient cultivation and lasting value. — Venture capital & investmentThematic illustration · AI generated

Full text — English translation

What Should the Relationship Between Founders and Investors Be? I believe we should not sit across the table in confrontation, but on the same side. Investors should sit beside founders, helping solve problems and face challenges. Founders must keep moving while looking up to check the road. They need someone available for discussion, advice, and confidence. Investor conversations need not focus only on short-term metrics such as orders or user counts. Spend time understanding founders’ choices and reasoning: are short-term interests distracting them from developing long-term core strengths? #ChoosingRobinAsYourInvestorIsTheRightAnswer

These articles are personal notes, book excerpts, and collected reprints. Figures and events reflect the time of the original publication, are not current information, and do not constitute investment advice.

Reader comments

What did this article make you think about? Different perspectives and constructive criticism are welcome.

Comments are public immediately. Do not include personal contact details or external links. Automated checks block suspicious solicitation, prohibited transactions and spam; they can make mistakes.

Comments load when you reach this section.