I once had an investor who I thought was a great fit for both me and the business. We clicked on every level. We shared the same goals, philosophy, way of thinking about things. I loved him.

A few days before making his decision, he called me at 11pm. I knew exactly what was happening. If I didn't pick up, he probably would think I'm a 9-5'er (which I'm not).

If I did, I would probably be getting into a long-term relationship with a guy who considered him more important than my family. He'd probably want me jumping on planes at the last second to show him slides, mentoring his other founders, etc.

This wasn't my first deal. I was successful. I decided to not pick up.

The deal fell through, predictably. But I couldn't be happier with my decision.