38 years of "Startup Post-Mortems" taught me one thing: you’re probably in the wrong Circle.

In 1985, at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), I saw how giants could ignore the coming fire. Decades later, as a founder and mentor, I see startup founders doing the exact same thing, just on a smaller scale.

We’ve all heard that "90% of startups fail." But after decades in the trenches, I realized that failure isn't an event. It’s a slow descent through what I call the 9 Circles of Startup Inferno.

Most founders I meet on IH are currently stuck in Circle 2 (eg. Lust for Features) or Circle 4 (eg. Greed of Time). They are "Startup Cosplaying", polishing a product that nobody has asked for yet, because it feels safer than facing the market.

Here is my "Hell-Check" for you:

• If you spent the last 3 days optimizing your landing page instead of talking to 5 strangers: You’re in the Inferno.

• If you’re adding "one last feature" before launch: You’re in the Inferno.

• If your "burn rate" includes tools you haven't used in a month: You’re definitely in the Inferno.

I’ve spent the last year distilling these 38 years of patterns into a framework called Startup Inferno. It’s not a book about success; it’s a boo to help you spot the fire while you still have water to put it out.

I’m curious: What’s the "boring" task you’ve been avoiding this week in favor of a "shiny" one? Let’s audit your circle in the comments. 👇