Whenever founders sell part of the business to other parties - either through VC investment or IPO, they (the founders) are now bound to the agreement of returning on that investment and providing value as a (the) core focus of doing business.

If you don't want to be beholden to third parties, then don't sell part of your business.

Didn't have to be. They didn't have to sell stock privately either.

They had to if they wanted to spend someone else's money...

There's always loans. You don't have to take VC money.

This party wasn't going to pay for itself!