I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but, could 'going away for two weeks' have been the point when the project started down the wrong path?
That sounds like no one sat down and discussed requirements or even talked things through other than "I need X, do whatever you like"
The developers who understand product and can build it successfully are off doing that. You mostly don't see them in the startup "scene", because they've hitched their wagon to a founder who knows where he's going, has a realistic plan for getting there, and treats all the people with him well. When they do appear on the open market, they get snatched up really quickly.
What's left are the folks who have impressive-sounding but unattainable dreams, the folks who would rather talk about programming than program, and the folks who believe that everyone exists just to serve them without them needing to bring anything to the table.
