In your anecdote the team pushed themselves to the limit and succeeded. Contradicts your advice.
Staff shouldn't be treated as some kind of natural resource to be burned through and discarded after 12 months just to make a few bucks for investors when you flip. I'd classify that as the hollowest form of "success."
Not to mention the kind of bad will employee horror stories can generate in the talent pool you're trying to hire from.
The end doesn't always justify the means.