Most "unicorns" are just well-funded mediocrity with great timing. The founders you worship built decent products during a money-drunk era. Take away the easy capital and 80% wouldn't survive Series A today.
Serial entrepreneur, AFoundery venture studio founder, angel investor, mentor, and public speaker. Harvard Business School alumnus. 20+ years building ventures across USA, Mexico, India & Nepal. 30+ startup investments via TheSeedFund.vc.
Most "unicorns" are just well-funded mediocrity with great timing. The founders you worship built decent products during a money-drunk era. Take away the easy capital and 80% wouldn't survive Series A today.
AI tools did not give small teams superpowers. They gave average operators the ability to produce average output faster. The gap between sharp and mediocre just got wider, not smaller.
A co-founder you met at a hackathon is not a co-founder. That is a stranger with shared enthusiasm. Real partnership gets tested in the bad months, not the launch week.
Your best employee leaving is not a betrayal. It is the bill for the ceiling you put on them. You built the cage. They just finally found the door.