3 Ways VCs Can Add Value to Your Startup Beyond the Cash Turns out, there are other perks besides cash.

Here's something that drives me nuts. When they hear that I'm with a VC firm, many entrepreneurs will say that the only value we add to a company is money. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While much of our success can be attributed to front-end diligence, research and deal-making, the best VCs are more than good pickers. In fact, the profile of a typical VC is starting to mirror that of a successful entrepreneur, and the next generation of VCs will likely have resumes that are heavy on entrepreneurial operating experience. Here are some of the benefits, beyond money, they can have for you.

Experience on boards. VC partners sit on boards--lots of them. If you wonder what a successful VC's calendar looks like, take each investment and multiply by four for quarterly meetings. Triple that for two travel days on each end, and pretty quickly you get to 200 days a year out of the office.