Would you lie about your company's performance just to get better opportunities?

I think we all lie every day (even when we say "Good night" to someone, and we don't even have to mean it sincerely).

We also lie on our resumes, we don't fully disclose everything on our tax returns, and we sometimes fake income.

And that's what I want to talk about...

Cluely CEO Roy Lee admitted that the $7M ARR figure he gave TechCrunch last year was fabricated, calling it the only thing he's "blatantly" lied about publicly. He also falsely claimed the interview was an unsolicited cold call, when his own PR team had arranged it.

Now, I wonder if the fake it till you make it approach is really that good, because:

– The "fake it till you make it" rule is real and can convince people to give you what you aspire to.

– Your story can inspire others to succeed.

– Once you lose trust, it's very hard to earn it back.

How do you feel about such practices?

Is it unethical? Opportunistic? Or are we just witnessing marketing genius?