Non-negotiable hard stops

Adviser receives transaction-contingent pay for investor introductions or offers to negotiate securities without a clear registration/legal analysis. Broker-Dealers — US SEC
Refuses to identify investors, referrals, equity holdings, client-side reporting or implementation revenue relevant to the decision.
Cannot contractually define confidentiality, retention and disclosure to sponsors; coaching ethics place particular importance on these duties. ICF Code of Ethics, effective 1 April 2025
Claims guaranteed valuation, financial return, fundraising success or certainty about a commercial outcome.
Pressures the founder to delegate a legally retained governance decision to them.

Understand the decision