Negotiation Leverage Self-Assessment
Leverage determines your negotiating power when closing a fundraise. This tool evaluates 31 weighted factors across BATNA, deal terms, traction, investor intel, and preparation -- giving you a clear picture of where you stand before entering negotiations.
Score each factor from 0 (not at all) to 10 (outstanding). Factors are weighted as Heaviest (3x), Heavy (2x), or Moderate (1x).
Factor Scores (0-10)
Heaviest Weight (3x multiplier) -- 10 factors
Do you have any Plan B Financiers (BATNA) / multiple simultaneous term sheets
BATNA
Do you have a clearly defined path to a $1B-$10B Valuation
Vision
Do you have proof of traction for Last 3 Months (are KPIs going up?)
Traction
Have you maximized trust through transparency, open, authentic, collaborative interactions?
Trust
Did you (privately) make an accurate assessment of your financial runway?
Runway
Terms: valuation and dilution are critical, but are you emphasizing other critical deal terms?
Terms
Terms: are you considering liquidation preference
Terms
Terms: are you considering board control and voting rights
Terms
Terms: founder vesting period
Terms
Terms: right of first refusal
Terms
Heavy Weight (2x multiplier) -- 13 factors
Do you have an attorney &/or experienced founders as sounding boards during negotiation?
Advisors
Have you articulated to VCs your top 3 "wants"
Preparation
Have you self-assessed your degree of emotional control during stressful situations?
Self-Awareness
Are you able to take a step back during an impasse to broaden your thinking?
Flexibility
Know thy investor: are you aware of your VC's average check size range?
Investor Intel
Know thy investor: are VC's portfolio companies similar to yours?
Investor Intel
Know thy investor: have you spoken to VC references?
Investor Intel
Know thy investor: have you asked the VC's their top 3 "wants"
Investor Intel
Know thy investor: are you aware of your VC's average check size range? (confirm)
Investor Intel
Know thy investor: do you know your VC's ownership stake target?
Investor Intel
Did you allow VC to send term sheet (not the other way around)?
Process
Did you sketch out (privately) all of your potential dealbreakers?
Preparation
Are you clear that re-negotiating after a deal has been struck can be catastrophic?
Discipline
Moderate Weight (1x multiplier) -- 8 factors
Is your negotiating style balanced or are you too aggressive or passive?
Style
Do you understand the current VC market and funding trends?
Market Intel
Have you surmised the negotiating style of your investor?
Investor Intel
Have you dispensed with artificial FOMO?
Discipline
Have you sketched out the non-material negotiating terms?
Preparation
What social proof / social media footprint do you have?
Social Proof
What's the gravitas of your co-founders / advisors?
Team
Are you controlling the pace of the negotiation?
Process
Results
Enter scores (0-10) for all 31 factors to see the calculated results.
Understanding Negotiation Leverage
Negotiation leverage is your ability to influence the outcome of fundraising negotiations in your favor. It comes from having alternatives (BATNA), strong traction, thorough preparation, deep investor knowledge, and disciplined execution during the negotiation process.
The weighting system reflects real-world impact on outcomes. "Heaviest" factors (3x weight) include your BATNA, traction proof, trust-building, runway assessment, and critical deal terms like liquidation preferences and board control. These are the factors that most dramatically affect your negotiating position.
"Heavy" factors (2x) include having legal counsel, articulating your priorities, emotional control, knowing your investor's check size and portfolio, and process discipline. These significantly affect outcomes but are more controllable through preparation.
"Moderate" factors (1x) include negotiating style, market awareness, social proof, team gravitas, and pace control. While important, these have less direct impact on the final terms compared to heaviest and heavy factors.
VC vs. Angel: The assessment structure is identical for both investor types, but the language adapts to the specific dynamics of VC negotiations versus Angel/HNW individual negotiations. Choose the variant that matches your current fundraising target.