A person who worms their way into your startup’s cap table or leadership team without bringing any actual skill, creates chaos, delays progress, drains morale, and eventually kills the company — usually before swooping in to claim the IP and pretend it was all their idea.
“I had funding lined up, a license deal in place, and real traction — then this total wyle tanked the company from the inside.”
“As of now, I had this total wyle in place and it killed the entire thing.”
Etymology:
Derived from to wyle (v.), meaning “to destroy something valuable through ego, incompetence, and misplaced confidence.” Believed to originate from early startup culture slang, possibly referencing a real guy no one wants to work with twice.
“As of now, I had this total wyle in place and it killed the entire thing.”
Etymology:
Derived from to wyle (v.), meaning “to destroy something valuable through ego, incompetence, and misplaced confidence.” Believed to originate from early startup culture slang, possibly referencing a real guy no one wants to work with twice.
by SexyyNerd July 02, 2025
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