_faster_

I don't know if this is the classical definition of grassrooting because your HN tag mentiones you are the Co-founder & CPO of Winnie but there's also other new accounts just commenting on this story (tvnut999)

How dare you. If someone wants to defend themselves they have every opportunity to do so but I (and I think the HN audience) don't appreciate being-

1. patronised about things like: "this kind of shows you the kind of audience this is written for". How pathetic, as if there are some levels of access beyond which peons like us cannot comprehend. and

2. Your concern trolling. Where I come from we believe in the scientific method and meritocracy. You are entitled to your opinions if you can defend them and your attempt to stifle discussion is reducing efficiency.

Respectful? Give me a break, you've been successfully gas-lighted.

>where it says that VC's can be "quite persistent" asking for coffees

Lets be pragmatic. How many VC's are we talk about, 5? 10? Can we not read a little bit of a veiled humble brag into this point on the fact that the number isn't mentioned and that if the number is 5 that the author couldn't spare 5 hours over "multi months" to meet with someone signing checks? Which brings me on to-

>If you're the kind of person for whom "many VCs were extremely persistent"

What does this person do that they seem to fart rainbows when every one of the most talented engineers that I know has to hustle to get these sorts of doors opened? We can only assume that something else is at play.

Which brings me on to Op's point-

>in my experience people with 9-17 jobs don't have that kind of money to hire people.

This is entirely correct, most startups can't trade money for time but the author doesn't reveal her fountain of money which further undermines the blogpost.