Then sell the hell out of it.
This is also why I hate VC's (PG included), they force you to become inward focused rather than seeking external inputs (IE: Customers). As Gödel proved, you cannot determine a systems consistency within itself.
In my humble and limited experience with both PG and VCs, the focus has always been on customers.
I'm surprised that you include PG in your sweeping statement. He is a pretty outspoken advocate of launching early, listening to customers, and iterating.
Do you mind sharing where you get your perspective?
The instant you take VC money (Paul's included) you now have a focus away from your customers towards inward interests. You have to worry about raising money, about the next round, about that meeting next week. Over time, customers stuffer. Right now Ycombinator is the darling of the "startup" scene, but my opinion is that the "startup" scene is a bad place to be for building a company. (Great place for a quick exit though! But the odds of that are poor.)
Whatever their intentions, VC money alters your fledgling company in a harmful way. A quick browse at all the news items on this site about "navigating VC world" and raising capital, and convincing VC's of X should be evidence enough. That time is better spent navigating product strategy, raising customers and selling product.