From Garage Nerds to TikTok Selfie Burnouts: Startup Stardom Saga
Des Traynor, Intercom cofounder since 2011, mourns when being a startup founder was 'uncool' and genuine, not just Instagram clout chasing fueled by TikTok, Soho House, and remote work vibes. Forget ping-pong tables and nap rooms — today’s founders grind 9-9-6, drink less, and survive on air mattresses and takeout while desperate for followers. Traynor warns: if you’re in it for laptop-on-the-beach selfies and hashtags, expect slow-motion failure. It's all about 'deep insatiable desire' combined with 24/7/365 ping-ons – because nothing says entrepreneurship like killing your social life and sleep schedule for a maybe someday payday. Reality check: likes won’t pay the bills!
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Glow-up alert: startup founders went from garage geeks to TikTok clout-chasers living on air mattresses expecting instant billionaire vibes. Spoiler: the grind doesn’t come with a filter or a follower count.
Nothing screams success like 9 to 9 to 6 hustle fueled by takeout and sobering up. Who needs beaches when you can have lonely air mattresses and relentless Slack pings?
Warning: if your startup pitch includes the phrase 'Instagram lifestyle,' you're probably starring in a slow-motion collapse documentary narrated by Des Traynor.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 9/25/2025 | Author: Henry Chandonnet
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