My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#1

Post by citizenkeys » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:23 PM UTC

My YCombinator Applicants Video page ( http://wikitorrents.org/wiki/ycombinator_applicants ) got over 3000 uniques in a single day, many from domains of "very big name" companies here in the Bay Area.

I moved to Silicon Valley this summer to find angel funding and/or work. With me practically begging for angel money and/or work in the page comments, I thought for sure somebody would say "Hey, Patrick. You did all this basically by yourself. Obviously, you've got some sort of talent. We'll definately help you out." Instead... nothing. I got a total of 3 legitimate inquiries, all of which I responded, none of which I've heard back from a day later.

My question is... with all the deep pockets and easy start-up money I hear about, what's it take to get somebody to actually commit to some angel money?

Patrick Keys

citizenkeys AT gmail DOT com

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#2

Post by petervandijck » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:28 PM UTC

Link to video?

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#3

Post by citizenkeys » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:33 PM UTC

petervandijck wrote: post #2

Link to video?

video of what?

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#4

Post by cperciva » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:39 PM UTC

Remember that the best way to get money is to not need it. Investors aren't interested in "helping you out"; they're interested in making money, and broadcasting "we were rejected from YC and we're desperate for money" isn't a very good way to convince potential investors that you can make them rich(er).

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#5

Post by timelinex » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:45 PM UTC

When reality doesn't match expectations, modify expectations to match reality.

You can start by actually getting realistic data on:

1) Time to get angel investment

2) Number of people with 3000 unique in a single day that hit front page HN.[I reach front page only for a brief period and had 2k unique visits, twice]

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#6

Post by citizenkeys » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:45 PM UTC

cperciva wrote: post #4

Remember that the best way to get money is to not need it. Investors aren't interested in "helping you out"; they're interested in making money, and broadcasting "we were rejected from YC and we're desperate for money" isn't a very good way to convince potential investors that you can make them rich(er).

They call it "angel money" for a reason. If you were "ramen profitable", then you wouldn't need angel money, you'd need legitimate venture capital to get big fast. "Ramen profitable" right now is about 500 bucks a week.

I also indicated I was looking for work. If I had some outside work, I could self-fund my ventures. With all these deep silicon valley pockets, I'm surprised nobody offered me any sort of work.

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#7

Post by answerly » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:50 PM UTC

Just to contribute a data point:

We were lucky enough to be accepted to YC a couple batches ago. It took us about 2 months of constant pitching and investor wrangling to close our seed round after demo day.

It is great that the original post brought you some initial visibility. It is not clear to me that you have done much to proactively capitalize on that.

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#8

Post by jim_h » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:52 PM UTC

What exactly is your project?

I looked at your link, but it seems like it's just a collection of videos. I went to the main site, but it seems like it's a blog.

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#9

Post by citizenkeys » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:53 PM UTC

answerly wrote: post #7

Just to contribute a data point: We were lucky enough to be accepted to YC a couple batches ago. It took us about 2 months of constant pitching and investor wrangling to close our seed round after demo day. It is great that the original post brought you some initial visibility. It is not clear to me that you have done much to proactively capitalize on that.

Well... that's what this particular thread is all about.

What exactly should I do "to proactively capitalize" my "initial visibility"?

Re: My Start-Up: 3000 unique users a day, only 3 offers?

#10

Post by citizenkeys » Thu, Nov 04, 2010, 10:57 PM UTC

jim_h wrote: post #8

What exactly is your project? I looked at your link, but it seems like it's just a collection of videos. I went to the main site, but it seems like it's a blog.

The project is user-created lists of downloadable videos. The main page looks like a blog because I'm presently redesigning the main page.

"User-created lists of downloadable videos" may sound simple, but it's deceptive simplicity will make it the twitter and/or instragram of its day, I am entirely certain of it.