It was the summer of 2009, and we were closing in on our Series A funding. I wanted to update my fellow co-founders on our progress, so I scheduled a meeting at the local Starbucks.

Picture: Depositphotos

Three of my four fellow co-founders were on time for our 11 AM meeting. We were waiting on our Chief Technology Officer, “Raphael.”

11:10 AM. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Raphael walking through the parking lot. He looked like a geeky gunslinger dressed all in black.

We had been raising money since January 2008. We had survived the nuclear winter of the Great Recession.

The fund raising had been exhausting. Everyone’s patience, and belief in the company, was tested.

Raphael opened the doors to Starbucks abruptly and sat down at our table.

Before I could update the team, Raphael started talking.

“So”, Raphael said in his thick accent, “DO WE HAVE A TERM SHEET OR NOT!”

Raphael was pissed.

You could feel his anger push everyone back from the table.

“We are getting close,” I responded.

“CLOSE IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH! I AM TIRED OF WAITING. THIS IS GOING NOWHERE!”

“This is how it works,” I said. “We are making really good progress. We…”