Read time: 4 min
I’ve sat in partner meetings where decks barely got opened.
Why? Because the room was already sold (or not sold) on the founder.
I thought investing was all logic.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
VCs don’t invest in logic.
They invest in psychology.
The myth of rational VCs
On paper, venture looks like spreadsheets and due diligence.
In practice, it’s closer to poker.
Investors are making bets under uncertainty. No model predicts whether you’ll pull it off.
So they fall back on shortcuts. Mental models. Gut checks.
And if you don’t understand them? You lose.
👉 Premium members: access the Founder Signaling Checklist, the exact list of 20 credibility, urgency, and narrative cues you need to bake into your fundraising.
