Founders, if you're thinking, "I need a VC who will <find major customers / hire great people / build a GTM plan> for us," you are doing it wrong. You alone are responsible for your core startup capabilities.
YOU, the founder, are responsible for:
* communicating the vision
* hiring great people
* finding customers
* raising more money
Your investors have a fulltime job:
* evaluating 10+ pitches a day
* researching thesis areas
* performing due diligence
* managing a firm
MIGHT an investor occasionally find you a great customer / employee / follow-on capital / whatever? Sure. But that's like winning $500 on a scratch-off ticket. Yes, it occasionally happens, but it's a shit strategy for success.
Even saying the words, "we're looking for an investor who can help," sounds like an abdication of your responsibilities.
Show up to the table passionate about getting good at those things. Find people to learn from. Own those specific challenges.
Lastly, it's great seeing my friend Lance Dietz in the original post's comments, mixing it up and defending the position that investors CAN help. He's one of the good guys and I know he's been helpful to my own clients where he's been on the cap table.
But I don't think he's ever asked a founder, "what do are you looking for from an investor besides capital."
I hope not 😂