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0 pointshef198982y ago0 comments

My last gig was with one of those wannabe Elon Musks (what wouldnI give to get wannabe Steve Jobs back). Horrible, ultimately he was ousted as CEO, only to be allowed to stay on as some head of innovation, because he and his founder buddies retained enough voting power to first get him a life time position as head of the board fir his "acievements" and then prevent his firing. They also vetoed, from ehat people told, a juicy acquisition offer, basically jeopardizing the future of the place. Right after, a new CEO was recruited as the result of a "lengthy and thoroughly planned process of transition". Now, the former CEO is back, and in charge, in fact and noz on paper, of the most crucial part of the product. Besides getting said company to 800 people burning a sweet billion, he didn't do anything else in his life, and that company has yet to launch a product.

Sad thing so, if they find enough people to continue investing, they will ultimately launch a product, most likely the early employees and founders will sell of their shares, become instant millionaires in the three figures and be hailed as thebtrue geniuses in their field... What an utter shit show that was...

0 comments

Draiken2y ago

The sad reality is that most top executives get there because of connections or simply being in the right place at the right time.

Funnily enough I also worked for a CEO that hit the lottery with timing and became a millionaire. He then drank his own kool-aid and thought he was some sort of Steve Jobs. Of course he never managed to build anything afterwards. But he kept making a shit ton of money, without a doubt.

After they get one position in that echelon, they can keep failing upwards ad nauseam.

I don't get the cult part though. It's so easy to see they're not even close to the geniuses they pretend to be. Just look at the recent SBF debacle. It's pathetic how folks fall for this.

fallingknife2y ago

> Besides getting said company to 800 people burning a sweet billion, he didn't do anything else in his life

Getting a company to that size is a lot.

hef19898OP2y ago

All you need is HR... I'm a cynic. He got the funding so, which is a lot (as an achievement and in terms of mones raised). He just started to believe to be the genius not justbin raising money, but also is building product and organisation. He isn't and never was. What struck me so, even the adults hired to replace him, didn't have the courage to call him out. Hence his comeback in function if not title.

Well, I'm happy to work with adults again, in a sane environment with people that known their job. It was a very, very useful experience so, and I wouldn't miss it.

aledalgrande2y ago

Not if you have 1B sitting in the bank as stated above

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