From Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos) to Adam Neumann (WeWork) and Sam Bankman-Fried, the business world is littered with charismatic leaders who built empires on lies.

Business journalist Michael Graves asks the uncomfortable question in Founder's Syndrome: Why do we keep falling for it?

Graves argues that modern startup culture has morphed into a secular religion. The Visionary Founder is the new Messiah, promising not just a product, but salvation (changing the world).

The book analyzes the Reality Distortion Field a mix of narcissism, charm, and audacity that blinds investors and employees to basic math.

Drawing on cult psychology, Graves shows how these leaders use isolation, mission-driven language, and us vs. them narratives to suppress dissent. It is a warning to employees and investors to stop looking for prophets in boardrooms and start looking at the balance sheets.