A clear mission statement can help to guide decision-making and keep the company focused on its goals. It can provide a framework for evaluating new initiatives and ensuring that they are aligned with the company's overall vision. Also a compelling mission statement can attract top talent who are aligned with the company's values and goals. This can be a significant advantage for startups competing for a limited pool of skilled workers.

This was clearly true for Google with its mission. There are so many other successful examples.

Looks like author is burned by bad startups with inauthentic mission statements.