We usually describe ambition with the story of the bricklayer who, asked what he’s doing, says he isn’t laying bricks , he’s building a cathedral. It’s a good story about vision. But it’s the wrong story for most founders, because a business isn’t a cathedral. A…

The mythology around venture capital is seductive. The bold investor. The visionary founder. The billion-dollar exit. It’s a great story, and like most great stories, it’s only partially true. After nearly three decades in accounting and finance, including time at…