Would You Invest $10k in a Friend’s Startup? Are You Friends If You Don’t?

I have a friend that wrote a unique iPhone app—related to a hobby of his. The App was a bit expensive for an iPhone app; as I recall it might have been around $100.

His friends wanted him to give them the app, because they were his friends. His interesting perspective was that they should be willing to pay him more for the app because he was their friend (but he was willing to sell them the app for the official price).

If your friend wanted to he could gift you an interest in the start up if he wanted to. Isn’t it a kind of symmetric situation.

> “The fact that they are my friend means there’s something cool and interesting about this person,”

Yeah maybe they like the same board games or the same beer as you and that's their cool and interesting thing that makes them your friend. Doesn't mean their business idea is worth any penny.