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Such a simple thing to write, but so useful. Waiting excitedly to see who else will follow suit. Good call.
Is it a big problem then? I'm waaaay out of start up circles so I'm surprised it even needs to be stated.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct: if your interactions with a founder are cabined by professional settings --- demo days, funding pitches, going for coffee to talk about their company --- romantic overtures are inappropriate. Similarly: if you're in process, at any stage, with a company, overtures to their founders are inappropriate.
What about simply asking for his number?
This isn't difficult. I know techies have a reputation for being socially awkward but if you're suggesting that asking for someone's phone number in a business context could be mistaken for asking in a romantic context then you're wrong. It's very, very easy to define intention.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Correct: if your interactions with a founder are cabined by professional settings --- demo days, funding pitches, going for coffee to talk about their company --- romantic overtures are inappropriate. Similarly: if you're in process, at any stage, with a company, overtures to their founders are inappropriate.
It's important to understand WHY this is so: if you're an investor you are in a position of power over a founder. It is not possible in such a situation to make a romantic overture that is not tainted by the possibility that you are looking for a quid-pro-quo even if in fact you are not.
I imagine such a thing would be amazingly toxic and hopefully collapse into a vortex of bad.
EDIT:
It's an offensive idea, sure, but at least explain why you're downvoting. This is a solid example of downvoting in HN being used incorrectly. I hadn't advocated for such an arrangement, and merely brought up a question of "does such a thing exist?" and a prediction that such a thing would implode quickly.
Was there something to spark this post? Or is it simply a reminder?
Nothing too specific. I read this article last week and found it appalling: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/08/07/what-it...
I perfectly understand intolerance towards sexual harassment but I wonder what qualifies as "inappropriate romantic behavior" in this context. You can not ask a founder "on a date"? What's if is the other way around? EDIT: of course this is coming from a nobody. I'm just curious.
Any kind of romantic behavior is probably inappropriate, due to the power/incentive imbalance. A founder is trying to get money, an investor has money, and romantic overtures are really difficult to separate from the "getting money" problem.
Power vs no power means too risky for unhealthy relationship.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
You wait until after demo day and the conflict of interest has cleared, before asking someone on a date. It's not that tough.
Still inappropriate after demo day. Investors are a tight knit group and retaliatory action is always a concern. The recent two exposes from two female founders both pointed to investors' power/influence as coercive factors, even if no specific deal is on the table. It's maybe unfortunate it has to be this way, but investors should not hit on founders, full stop . For those who didn't see this when it was making its…
This sounds like something a cartoon villain would say, but there's research that shows that the way men relate to their wives colors how they view women in their workplace. If you're a woman and your boss doesn't respect his wife's intellect, then it's going to be that much harder to make him respect your's.
Such a simple thing to write, but so useful. Waiting excitedly to see who else will follow suit. Good call.
Is it a big problem then? I'm waaaay out of start up circles so I'm surprised it even needs to be stated.
She hasn't made the point "explicit" (stated clearly and in detail, leaving no room for confusion or doubt [1]), because it isn't clear what "inappropriate" means. edit: Using the word "inappropriate" makes the statement ambiguous because it states there is some sexual or romantic behavior that is "appropriate" (suitable or proper in the circumstances) [2]. If the intent here is to state that sexual or romantic behav…
Demo Day is a business context. If you are an investor talking to the founder of a YC startup, it's a business conversation. There shouldn't be any hint of romance, dates, flirting. Explicit enough for you?