Pro rata means you get to keep your percentage ownership in a company. Typically when you angel invest, you don’t get pro rata rights—unless you demand them, and then you do. I won’t do a deal without pro rata rights anymore. If someone doesn’t think I deserve to get to keep my percentage ownership, even though I was one of their earliest supporters, well, I’m not the right investor for them—and they’re not the right founder for me. It’s disrespectful not to give angels pro rata rights. Period.

