Startups are supposed to be messy — but some messes are just plain inexcusable. In this brutally honest (and darkly funny) piece, Patricia Sink (Seed Investor, Venture Partner) calls out the kinds of startup behaviours that make even the most seasoned founder want to scream into the void. If you’ve ever nodded along to a pitch about “no competitors” or watched a team spend more time perfecting a logo than talking to users, this piece is for you. But, fair warning: it’s sharp, it’s direct, and if it stings a little… well, maybe it’s supposed to.
STUPID things in startups that make me want to walk into traffic:
1. “We don’t have competitors.”
Congrats, you’ve invented loneliness.
Either you’re not solving a real problem or you’re too lazy to Google.
2. 17-person advisory boards.
If you need that many “advisors” before revenue, you don’t need a startup—you need therapy.
3. Founders who say “We’re pre-product, pre-revenue, pre-idea…but raising $3M.”
No. You’re pre-reality.
4. Hiring a Head of Marketing before knowing what the hell you’re selling.
They’re not magicians. If you haven’t nailed the value, no one else can.
5. Calling it a “community” when it’s 4 bots and your cousin in a Discord.
6. Spending 3 months on a logo, 0 months talking to users.
Yeah, I know—rude.
But someone needs to say it.
Startups aren’t a vibes-only zone. If you want to build something real, stop the cosplay.
Now, excuse the tone, but if this stings a little… maybe it should.
© Patricia Sink
Numeris Media is an official Media Partner to Connected Banking Summit & Innovation Excellence Awards 2025 – Southern Africa
(May 21, 2025 | Johannesburg, South Africa)