What's the one startup 'red flag' that instantly makes you say 'no' to investing or working there?

I think, one major red flag is a lack of a clear business plan. If a startup doesn't have a well-defined strategy for growth, revenue generation, and market differentiation, it's a sign of poor planning and potential instability. Without a solid plan, the chances of success are slim, making it a risky investment or job opportunity.

If they have more buzzwords on their website than actual product details, it's like a bad code loop - an endless cycle of nope for me!

unlimited vacation TGTBT?

Two things for me: 1) when the team members are not cohesive, or lack confidence on the startup, 2) no clear business plan for moving forward -- it's okay if the business plan is not too refined, but they should have a plan at least so it's a direction to start with, and then the team can adjust dynamically based on user feedback and development resources.

If the founders seem more focused on flashy offices, perks, and hype than on developing a compelling product and sustainable business model. I want to see real traction, happy customers, and a clear path to profitability, not just empty buzzwords. Oh, and major red flag if they trash talk competitors rather than articulating their own unique value prop.

Lack of vision definitely, additionally a lack of cohesion at the leadership level.

If I were an investor, I'd look for startups that don't have many direct competitors, and that bring hard innovation to the marketplace.