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Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

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Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#21

Post by livejake »

citizenkeys wrote: post #20
livejake wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hahahaha. Stoned guy here. You just need to chill out and recognize the problem of the penis... man. It's giving the internet bad karma. Seriously, I was a little tired, but I was not stoned. Could I have made an awesome polished video? Sure. But they said talk spontaneously as I would to a friend, and I took their instructions literally. Any feedback on the concept?

oh man, you kick ass! thanks for being a good sport about it. For those just joining us, here's the video: http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video My recommendation would have been to seem more enthusiastic and professional. The idea seemed kind of, umm, unique. But if you had presented it more professionally and with serious facts and data, I think it would have made a better impression Also, maybe some idea…

Yeah, you're right about being enthusiastic and professional. Thanks for the feedback.

As for stats and data, I tend to buy Chris Dixon's argument that narratives are more important than numbers: http://cdixon.org/2010/04/03/size-markets-using-narratives-n... Nevertheless, some statistics are useful.

I included additional details about potential users and what not in my application.

An example use-case, which I didn't get into in the video, is an entrepreneurial designers and developers event.

Here's how it works: 1) Designers and developers RSVP in advance for an online event that takes place at a set date and time.

2) Upon joining the event, each designer is presented with a list of developers in the event with basic bio info from their LinkedIn profile. Each designer can then check off who they want to chat with in the event. The same happens for developers.

3) Once the event starts, they are placed in a series of one-on-one chat with a designer (or developer) that they've previously indicated that they're interested in meeting. During the chats, each participant can view the other participants LinkedIn profile. These chats last for a set time, say three minutes, like speed dating. In the event, participants meet a lot of people that they're interested in meeting in short one-on-one chats. That's the general idea.

There are a lot of flaws with this concept. And I've actually started working on a different idea shortly after I submitted my Ycombinator app, but I still think this idea has some limited potential.

Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#22

Post by citizenkeys »

livejake wrote: post #21
citizenkeys wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

oh man, you kick ass! thanks for being a good sport about it. For those just joining us, here's the video: http://livejake.posterous.com/application-video My recommendation would have been to seem more enthusiastic and professional. The idea seemed kind of, umm, unique. But if you had presented it more professionally and with serious facts and data, I think it would have made a better impression Also, maybe some idea…

Yeah, you're right about being enthusiastic and professional. Thanks for the feedback. As for stats and data, I tend to buy Chris Dixon's argument that narratives are more important than numbers: http://cdixon.org/2010/04/03/size-markets-using-narratives-n... Nevertheless, some statistics are useful. I included additional details about potential users and what not in my application. An example use-case, which I didn'…

Do you have a working site or a demo or something to show off? If so, let me know.

Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#23

Post by livejake »

citizenkeys wrote: post #22
livejake wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, you're right about being enthusiastic and professional. Thanks for the feedback. As for stats and data, I tend to buy Chris Dixon's argument that narratives are more important than numbers: http://cdixon.org/2010/04/03/size-markets-using-narratives-n... Nevertheless, some statistics are useful. I included additional details about potential users and what not in my application. An example use-case, which I didn'…

Do you have a working site or a demo or something to show off? If so, let me know.

What I submitted was this: rapidintro.com:8000 You need two people to really demo it. Oauth with LinkedIn and then you video chat. The video chat is still buggy. We didn't finish the event system. This is the first ChatRoulette configuration written in Erlang.

The reason the design looks like it was designed by Slovakian college student for $50 is, well, because it was designed by a Slovakian college student for $50.

As I said before, we are now working on a different application and we should be completing that shortly. I'm considering releasing this application, with some design tweaks, as is to Hacker News and other entrepreneurial communities and seeing what happens.

Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#24

Post by photon_off »

It was really an eye-opening experience to go through a big list of these videos. Thank you to everyone who has participated. It definitely gives me a new perspective. I once thought it inconsiderate that YC didn't even click the demo link in my application, but now it's obvious that it's a necessary evil in sifting through so much of this.

One thing that stood out to me was how late all the videos were in the application process. About 75% of the videos were submitted within 48 hours of the deadline. It seems that submitting just a week earlier than the deadline would gain a huge advantage in terms of how much time the YC folks are able to commit to your application.

If I had to sift through this many videos in a short amount of time, I wouldn't even finish most of them. Whereas, if I received a video for the first time in a few days, I'd probably watch the whole thing regardless, and even try out the demo.

Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#25

Post by citizenkeys »

photon_off wrote: post #24

It was really an eye-opening experience to go through a big list of these videos. Thank you to everyone who has participated. It definitely gives me a new perspective. I once thought it inconsiderate that YC didn't even click the demo link in my application, but now it's obvious that it's a necessary evil in sifting through so much of this. One thing that stood out to me was how late all the videos were in the applic…

Did you submit a video with your application? If so, where is it? :-)

Re: Y Combinator Applicant Video Collection

#26

Post by photon_off »

citizenkeys wrote: post #25
photon_off wrote: post #24

It was really an eye-opening experience to go through a big list of these videos. Thank you to everyone who has participated. It definitely gives me a new perspective. I once thought it inconsiderate that YC didn't even click the demo link in my application, but now it's obvious that it's a necessary evil in sifting through so much of this. One thing that stood out to me was how late all the videos were in the applic…

Did you submit a video with your application? If so, where is it? :-)

I didn't apply this time around, for several reasons which aren't really important. Otherwise, I'd have definitely included it... you know, to show others how it's done.
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