The initial investor meetings can often feel like a whirlwind romance. You passionately share your vision for the future, they reflect your excitement, and the room becomes thick with the palpable energy of possibility. If this initial chemistry proves strong, the courtship progresses to a pivotal moment: the venture capital firm decides to move forward with due diligence. For many founders, this transition can feel like a jarring shift, moving from what felt like a friendly, high-level chat to a forensic investigation. Suddenly, the questions delve much deeper, the requests for documents begin to pile up, and the entire process can feel overwhelming, deeply intrusive, and at times, even adversarial. However, viewing due diligence in this way is a fundamental misunderstanding of its true purpose. It's not meant to be an interrogation designed to catch you out; it's the meticulous process of laying the foundation for what both parties hope will be a long-term, successful partnership. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.