In reality, it is a very good product with slim margins. The reason it is losing so much money is because it is expanding quickly to show that it is a "high growth" Unicorn company.
It isn't that it's a scam, it just puts it is a non-tech/non-SaaS category. Every founder/CEO wants to tell a huge growth story. If private investors are buying that then it's just that they miscalculated, but not defrauded.
There are lots of good businesses that operate on thin margins. They're good businesses, which is why you can divest them to investors who want to run a good business. What they're not are businesses that should trade at anything close to software revenue multiples.
No not really. Again, they lose billions right now because it costs a lot to build out new buildings. Then as a building matures they recoup these costs through the memberships. The more mature offices are profitable. It just isn’t necessarily tech/VC level profits.
It would be funny if this blew up in SoftBank's face. I think it will make even Theranos sound more sensible.
Sure, the product exists and it's good but the "business plan" and its assumptions and business structure don't make much sense.
Though I don't know how long they will survive without any more cash injections in the short term due to all their rental liabilities.