In his latest article featured on Forbes, Simplus CEO Ryan Westwood discusses funding and making sure startup entrepreneurs use funding strategically and thoughtfully. Before jumping into venture capital lending, entrepreneurs need to carefully consider the vision they have for their company and how funding will affect long-term business goals. Here are four questions Ryan suggests entrepreneurs think about before making a final call on funding decisions. To read more about how to approach the funding question, read the full article here.

1. What is your risk level?

“Not all venture capital is the same. So it’s the entrepreneur’s job to look under the hood of the firm to get to know the LPs, their IRR, the number of boards their partners sit on, the stage of business on which they focus, the industries they are best at, and where they are in the fund cycle.”

2. What time frame will allow organic business growth?

“When timing is crucial to establish a brand and connect with customers, some startups discover that rushing the fundamental steps of business development can create chronic financial troubles down the road.”

3. How much of the company will you own in the end?

“Based on simple math figures, not much. … Keep in mind; there are plenty of success stories of companies who didn’t rely on VC funding to reach million, even billion-dollar status.”

4. Why did you want to start a business?

“A startup needs money to survive. But not all funding channels are alike, and the repercussions of some investment agreements can derail what can be a promising and profitable business model.”