Zombie Startups - are you one?

Its the first time I hear the term "Zombie Startup". Isn`t there any "Vampire Start-up"- something like metaphorically sucking the blood of your competitors?

I like it! I think you may have coined a new business phrase.

Vampire Start-up - that successfully draws business from a market leader

But has anyone come across any so called zombie businesses, or have you spotted any warning signs for your own business?

I have defo been in zombie mode for the last 18 months or so. I have been busy, working 4-5 days pw but not going forward. I needed a kick up the proverbial, which the missus duly delivered ha.
Now working day and night, happily i might add , gaining new contacts and will hopefully be employing a contractor to help with the new workload that is coming in..

i don't really like the word 'start-up' or this whole culture that is emerging around startups = people labelling themselves as 'startups' or 'entrepreneurs'.

the way i look at it you either have an viable business or you don't, you either go out and get results or you don't.

calling your self a startup allows you to waste time 'developing' your idea 'finding investment' etc. which is just beating around the bush, living in the future.

go out and get results, go out and make sales, you will find out quick enough if your business is viable or not if you go out there and actually try to get real results. once you are able to produce results from there you just scale it up.

I think startup is a fair title for a new business, but thread wise, it should really be zombie business not zombie startup.

But I do agree completely with your comments about the "entrepreneur" label. In the old days, a (very) successful business person was referred to by others as an entrepreneur, as opposed to calling yourself one. I suppose this is down to popular shows like Dragons Den and the Apprentice.