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

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

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?

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.

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.

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