You're saying "2 founders + 1 investor" maintains founder control. Of course it does.
But Sam's recommendation is 2 founders + 1 or 2 investors + 1 outsider.
My guess is what Sam means by "keep enough control so that investors can't fire you" is to have an outsider on the board so that the investor class is never in the majority by themselves. But if I understand you Paul you are explicitly saying that's a situation founders should worry about, and that they should instead keep themselves in the majority without relying on an "independent".
Basically what sounds best to me as a founder is to have outsiders on the board, so that you get the best advice, but maintain founder control through a voting agreement. But then again that also sounds not that different from an advisory board.
You're saying "2 founders + 1 investor" maintains founder control. Of course it does.
But Sam's recommendation is 2 founders + 1 or 2 investors + 1 outsider.
My guess is what Sam means by "keep enough control so that investors can't fire you" is to have an outsider on the board so that the investor class is never in the majority by themselves. But if I understand you Paul you are explicitly saying that's a situation founders should worry about, and that they should instead keep themselves in the majority without relying on an "independent".
Basically what sounds best to me as a founder is to have outsiders on the board, so that you get the best advice, but maintain founder control through a voting agreement. But then again that also sounds not that different from an advisory board.