Startups fail because of a lack of courage and conviction. Most people implode with the pressure of making difficult decisions. When experienced people around a startup are unable to get through to the founder or the founding team, it typically means they are blocking their own success. They are unwilling to make tough choices like firing a co-founder or raising the price of the software. Startups need to be willing to take extreme actions, drive people to work harder, and understand that extreme measures can lead to success.