Key Man Risk
Dependence on one irreplaceable person — the finance term for a bus factor of one, applied to founders, rainmakers, and that one engineer. Insurers sell policies against it; org charts rarely fix it.
Heard in the wild
“The acquisition stalled on key man risk — the founder IS the product.”
Tone check: Technical
Being the key man is leverage and a cage. Companies eventually de-risk you, on their schedule or yours.