Summary List PlacementSpenser Skates, CEO and cofounder of Amplitude, struggled for five years to get venture capitalists to understand what his startup was trying to do. While he believed the aim of his company was clear — to help businesses understand how customers are using their products — the VCs just couldn't seem to get it. He pitched over 70 firms for his seed round back in 2012 and was met with a lot of skepticism. He felt incredibly frustrated and remembers blowing off steam to a friend by saying he "hates" the investors.