If you don't have runway, you're going to be super anxious and distracted. People can get very optimistic or delusion about their ability to raise money. Being reckless, not charming, not smart, will negate your ability to raise from venture capitalis whe are going to look at you as a risk. Lower your burn rate however if you can pay off your mortgage,. If it's always going to be far behind, you want to have as much runaway as possible. And the people who love your product might not be who you so you want to look at the data... You just have to be customer obsessed.