Every week another Web3 project with a treasury the size of a mid-tier nation-state insists their users “just don’t get the vision.” No traction? Blame the community. Missed roadmap? Must be governance. Disappearing dev team? Ah yes, decentralization in action.

Congratulations. You’ve built GaaS: Gaslighting-as-a-Service.

GaaS is the founder anti-pattern where teams outsource accountability to their holders, then wrap it in feel-good decentralization talk. It’s “community-first,” except the community is first in line to take the blame.

Here’s your quick audit:

You deploy this line right after blowing a deadline.
Fix: You are, in fact, operating like a company. Act like one.

Users ask for basic utility. You send them to a forum nobody reads.
Fix: Build the core functionality. Let the forum vote on button colors.

Your docs read like a Series A pitch deck having an identity crisis.
Fix: Replace fluff with features. Replace synergy with shipping.

Founders: retire the cope and build the damn utility.

Every week another Web3 project with a treasury the size of a mid-tier nation-state insists their users “just don’t get the vision.” No traction? Blame the community. Missed roadmap? Must be governance. Disappearing dev team? Ah yes, decentralization in action.

Congratulations. You’ve built GaaS: Gaslighting-as-a-Service.

GaaS is the founder anti-pattern where teams outsource accountability to their holders, then wrap it in feel-good decentralization talk. It’s “community-first,” except the community is first in line to take the blame.

Here’s your quick audit:

You deploy this line right after blowing a deadline.
Fix: You are, in fact, operating like a company. Act like one.

Users ask for basic utility. You send them to a forum nobody reads.
Fix: Build the core functionality. Let the forum vote on button colors.

Your docs read like a Series A pitch deck having an identity crisis.
Fix: Replace fluff with features. Replace synergy with shipping.

Founders: retire the cope and build the damn utility.