Verb. To relentlessly pursue a solution beyond the point where most humans would concede defeat. Often applied to challenges that others do not recognize as problems. Most frequently used when someone is annoyed that the founder will not leave them alone. To tweak and optimize with conviction and compulsion.
Historical: originally used by spouses of start-up founders to describe really annoying behavior traits, usually a compulsion to solve a problem despite social cues that perhaps it's time to give up.
Historical: originally used by spouses of start-up founders to describe really annoying behavior traits, usually a compulsion to solve a problem despite social cues that perhaps it's time to give up.
Example: "Stop foundering me!"
Use case: Spouse walks into the kitchen to find their loved one in a pile of disassembled electronics. "I had to fix the light on the waffle maker." "I thought it still worked without the light." "Technically it does, but I didn't know when to take out my waffles." "I thought they were fine." "They were darker than I wanted." "Of course they were, so you had to founder the waffle maker?" "I've almost got it..."
Use case: "I heard about a waterfall that iced over, but I can't go by myself. Let's go ice climbing tomorrow!" "I always get cold belaying you." "Look, I got you a heavy down jacket." "You got me that last year, and I was still cold." "It's pink, and you never get to wear it." "No." "I'll fill a thermos with hot chocolate." "Stop foundering me." Impervious "Look, I got heat packs to put in your boots and gloves." "STOP FOUNDERING ME!"
Use case: Spouse walks into the kitchen to find their loved one in a pile of disassembled electronics. "I had to fix the light on the waffle maker." "I thought it still worked without the light." "Technically it does, but I didn't know when to take out my waffles." "I thought they were fine." "They were darker than I wanted." "Of course they were, so you had to founder the waffle maker?" "I've almost got it..."
Use case: "I heard about a waterfall that iced over, but I can't go by myself. Let's go ice climbing tomorrow!" "I always get cold belaying you." "Look, I got you a heavy down jacket." "You got me that last year, and I was still cold." "It's pink, and you never get to wear it." "No." "I'll fill a thermos with hot chocolate." "Stop foundering me." Impervious "Look, I got heat packs to put in your boots and gloves." "STOP FOUNDERING ME!"
by GeneGeek January 21, 2016
by laura112233 February 23, 2006
The person that motivates you to have sex and motivates you to do things that you've never done before.
by Billyrivera February 5, 2017
by libbet May 5, 2006
We went to the movies every weekend; we were completely foundered on it.
She was foundered on her 4 hour commute from her house to work each day.
She was foundered on her 4 hour commute from her house to work each day.
by OlFashioned November 14, 2013
The foolish assumption that some founders of some companies and organizations have that leads them to believe that they have special privileges to make decisions that don't make good business sense.
I realize that having a palatial crash pad in Hollywood is a waste of money but I am the founder of this company and I go there once a month so we are going to spend $10K a month to have it. What?! You think I have founderitis?
by ZMissy July 21, 2009
When a founder retains disproportionate control in a startup past the time they are qualified to, leading to management problems:
-The organization is strongly identified with the founder.
-Staff meetings are held generally to rally the troops.
-Typically, there is little organizational infrastructure in place, and what is there is not used correctly.
-There is no succession plan.
-Key staff are typically selected by the founder and are often colleagues of the founder.
-Staff may be chosen due to their personal loyalty rather than skills or experience.
-Professionally trained and talented recruits, often recruited to resolve difficulties in the organization, find that they are not able to contribute in an effective and professional way
-The founder begins to believe his/her own Press/PR
-The company suffers from decreasing public trust.
-The organization becomes increasingly reactive, rather than proactive.
-The company is unable to listen to their own users, community or outside experts.
-The company is unable to learn from previous mistakes.
-The founder frequently tries to position themselves as a "visionary" in a market they are inexperienced in.
-The CEO is often unable to make tough choices related to operations such as removing inefficient staff.
-When challenged the CEO assumes that users who do not agree with the CEO simply cannot understand the expertise he/she has built.
-The organization is strongly identified with the founder.
-Staff meetings are held generally to rally the troops.
-Typically, there is little organizational infrastructure in place, and what is there is not used correctly.
-There is no succession plan.
-Key staff are typically selected by the founder and are often colleagues of the founder.
-Staff may be chosen due to their personal loyalty rather than skills or experience.
-Professionally trained and talented recruits, often recruited to resolve difficulties in the organization, find that they are not able to contribute in an effective and professional way
-The founder begins to believe his/her own Press/PR
-The company suffers from decreasing public trust.
-The organization becomes increasingly reactive, rather than proactive.
-The company is unable to listen to their own users, community or outside experts.
-The company is unable to learn from previous mistakes.
-The founder frequently tries to position themselves as a "visionary" in a market they are inexperienced in.
-The CEO is often unable to make tough choices related to operations such as removing inefficient staff.
-When challenged the CEO assumes that users who do not agree with the CEO simply cannot understand the expertise he/she has built.
Dan: Oh man, I wouldn't invest in that business that guy has a bad case of Founderitis
Steve: What's that?
Dan: It's like when Ted ran Kik into the ground and bled that unicorn dry...
Steve: Oh...
Steve: What's that?
Dan: It's like when Ted ran Kik into the ground and bled that unicorn dry...
Steve: Oh...
by B3NYC March 21, 2019