The 'cockroach founder': startups die when the founder's will does, not when money runs out
broodsugar · x · 2026-10-28
Investor @laceywisdom praises her favorite founder archetype, the "cockroach": with 1 month of runway left and payroll they can't make, everyone quietly writes them off — then they return with a new restructuring plan or product, convinced PMF is just around the corner.
Her takeaway from years of investing: startups rarely die when the money runs out; most die when the founder's will does. Cockroaches don't run out of will — bet on them.
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