[TremendousJudge]

>Some companies simply aren't meant to be billion dollar companies, yet raise money as if they will be.

Well, according to some quick searches the founders seem to be doing pretty alright by themselves. It depends if your objective for founding a company is "do something useful" or "get filthy rich as soon as possible"

[scarface74]

If you take venture funding - by definition you’re not trying to run a lifestyle business - your only goal is an exit strategy.

[rorykoehler]

Whose exit strategy? The companies or your own.

[scarface74]

What’s the difference? If you take investor money you have given up control of your own fate.

[kjs3]

When I did my (one, never again if I can help it) venture funded startup, "the only goal is an exit strategy" came up a lot, and always when one of the founders talked about a growth opportunity that would pay off over years and not months.

[usrusr]

If that's your success metric you are acting fraudulently as soon as you take investor money, because you won't get that without claiming to commit to the goal of making them rich(er) as well.