Tend to think the issue here is that start-ups are putting funds into hiring random people because they think it will help them suck up to celebrities and pseud

Tend to think the issue here is that start-ups are putting funds into hiring random people because they think it will help them suck up to celebrities and pseudo-celebrity investors, instead of concentrating on building worthwhile products. If someone turns up saying "I invested in dropbox, I know Justin Timberlake, I worked at Founders Fund." and you say "Ok then, welcome aboard" because of that, then you're a dickhead.