It's also worth noting the context: the media/large segments of the population were (still are) clamouring for women in STEM. Holmes emerged as a woman in STEM, who was a college drop out, dressed like Steve Jobs, apparently had the work ethic of Elon Musk, came from a well connected family, all while also being some sort of science prodigy who found a way to defy the physical rules of biology.
They ate it up and anyone who asked any questions was immediately labeled a misandrist, so I think it's quite easy to understand how she got this far. Virtually everything was stacked her way and she was immune to criticism.
>> That's only because you don't know who she knew. With such deep connected friends when you bring powerful people to the board, money will follow.
This is the one thing that I always think about when people talk about the SV crowd. There were a fuck ton of red flags and everybody ignored them continually until you couldn't any more.
All I ever read about SV is that you have to have a solid idea, solid financial plan and make damn sure you know what you're doing before you even get a whiff of the big VC money. In her case, all of that somehow just evaporated and they jumped in without doing any due diligence. I guess to some degree, the investors have no one to blame but themselves. If you're not going to vett these companies before you throw a few million at them, then you get what you deserve and her investors are getting in spades right now.
That's only because you don't know who she knew. With such deep connected friends when you bring powerful people to the board, money will follow.