Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24 • Hacker News Board

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#41

Post by _akhe » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:38 PM UTC

dang wrote: post #25

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

All I can tell you is it's not true and that's why I posted this! (and if it's true that everything you hear about YC is telling you otherwise, then YC has a serious messaging problem)

One of the reasons I like this site is that it feels slightly academic in a way that a competing site like Reddit does not.

And being a somewhat exclusive post-academic institution is not a bad image or message IMO. Maybe there are more pros than cons in terms of curation (of content, of founders).

Really didn't see it as a "everyone should apply!" kinda place, thought the messaging was intentionally "here's the latest out of Stanford" which I'm fine with.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#42

Post by 999900000999 » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:39 PM UTC

dang wrote: post #36

999900000999 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had ambitions of cranking out an MVP and pitching it to VCs in my late 20s. After a year of solid rejection ( including YC not even responding), I gave up. You end up spending alot of time trying to pitch your work. I've had a few idea guys expect me to build MVPs for free with an offer of like 1% or something silly like that. Never any pay, poorly thought out concepts. I've accepted I'm never going to be rich, it'…

> YC not even responding The only way that would happen is a bug. YC always responds to applicants. Rejections usually aren't personalized because that can't scale - but not hearing back at all should never happen. If you want me to look into what might have happened there, I'd be willing to try if you email hn@ycombinator.com.

Correction, I got a response, but no specific feedback.

I double checked my emails.

Anyway, I'm realistic in knowing my ideas aren't going to garner investment.

I would love if you had a YC Junior for just getting help on ideas vs capital.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#43

Post by dang » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:39 PM UTC

vlod wrote: post #30

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

When the startup I co-founders applied to Techstars, we had to fill in the lean canvas diagram and it makes you think and write down a whole bunch of stuff that we were lacking. channels in, user-acquisition strategies etc. That process was super worth it. Ultimately we got rejected, but going forward I'll use that (well I try) to do that when joining/founding any startups. Worst case scenario is they say no, best ca…

I hope you applied to YC as well!

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#44

Post by loceng » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:39 PM UTC

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

Also understand the VC industry is inherent with learning from the ideas submitted to them as part of curating deal flow; and it's common for them to justify it with a mantra that ideas are supposedly not worth anything, and it's all about execution.

When and who to share ideas with - and any market traction you may have as proof points there's an opportunity - is possibly the most important part of executing, and where you may be shooting yourself in the foot if sharing that with people in the business of funding ideas.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#45

Post by apsurd » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:41 PM UTC

999900000999 wrote: post #27

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

I had ambitions of cranking out an MVP and pitching it to VCs in my late 20s. After a year of solid rejection ( including YC not even responding), I gave up. You end up spending alot of time trying to pitch your work. I've had a few idea guys expect me to build MVPs for free with an offer of like 1% or something silly like that. Never any pay, poorly thought out concepts. I've accepted I'm never going to be rich, it'…

The filters are self-fulfilling.

For twenty-somethings ideas are easy and all opportunity is in front. Might as well swing for the fences and yes people do hit home runs. At this stage, debating the actual statistics is misguided use of energy. Because justifying a reason not to play still means you're not playing.

And the older you get the more gray this calculus is. There's more reasons not to do something. We put the filters on ourselves.

This isn't a moral argument. No one really knows how the statistics will land, we can only back analyze them. Yes it's statistically very unlikely you're going to get funded. So you stopped trying. Maybe your ideas really weren't very good. That's ok, you've got a lifetime.

edit: fwwiw I've always wanted to be an entrepreneur and now decades later when I'm more financially secure and the reality is here, I really really really question if I am cut out to be an entrepreneur. I don't think I care all that much. Not really.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#46

Post by dang » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:42 PM UTC

_akhe wrote: post #41

dang wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All I can tell you is it's not true and that's why I posted this! (and if it's true that everything you hear about YC is telling you otherwise, then YC has a serious messaging problem)

One of the reasons I like this site is that it feels slightly academic in a way that a competing site like Reddit does not. And being a somewhat exclusive post-academic institution is not a bad image or message IMO. Maybe there are more pros than cons in terms of curation (of content, of founders). Really didn't see it as a "everyone should apply!" kinda place, thought the messaging was intentionally "here's the late…

You're right about HN - pg always used to say he wanted it to look 'bookish'. But not for academic reasons. He's just a bibliophile and a massive reader.

When it comes to YC, however, I'm way closer to the "everyone should apply" end of the spectrum. Or rather: everyone who thinks they might like to start a high-growth startup.

One of YC's biggest impacts has been in growing the number of startups that get created in the first place. It's not so much about picking founders out of a limited pool, it's about the much larger set of potential founders who can maybe get bumped out of the "I could never do that track" into the adjacent "maybe give it a try track"...which can lead to life-changing places.

pg's essays have been one of the biggest such bumping devices. I would like HN to be that too. (While remaining interesting in all the other ways it can be.)

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#47

Post by jacobwg » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:43 PM UTC

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

I mean, I didn't even graduate college :P

> So we're just doing it on our own.

IMO if you can become a $100M household name without VC, that's absolutely the way to do it.

Even if you do take the VC path, YC for me was a massive boost in network, knowledge, and resources that I didn't have before, but it's also not the only way to acquire those things. You can even find that YC knowledge online, e.g. https://www.startupschool.org/.

That said, if anyone's even considering applying to YC, I'd recommend it, at a minimum it's a forcing function to think more deeply about your idea or business when assembling the application.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#48

Post by sosodev » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:44 PM UTC

"in an area where there are no snakes"

Surely that isn't true, right? I'll point out the obvious truth that this funding model encourages businesses that are boom or bust. That seems like a big snake to me. Bust is like taking a snake all the way back to square 1.

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#49

Post by speps » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:44 PM UTC

dang wrote: post #11

ipsum2 wrote: post #6

Curious about the story behind applying to YC as a founder and ending up as a moderator for hacker news.

Startup in W09, worked on it for 4 years, started saying no to pg about moderating HN, ran out of money, needed a job, said yes to pg about moderating HN.

Seems like it was a needed option for you at the time. Are you still enjoying it? Waiting for someone to take the baton?

Re: Tell HN: Ever think of applying to YC? Do it this weekend for S24

#50

Post by threeseed » Fri, Apr 19, 2024, 9:44 PM UTC

_akhe wrote: post #23

Re: "won't get in" How do I balance this encouraging advice with everything I've heard online about YC basically being a post-Ivy League thing? Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC. And often those who did get in went to Stanford, Harvard, etc. and don't even have a product - sometimes they don't even know what they're going to build yet. I wrote the idea of VC stuff off long ago…

> Seems like there's basically a 0% chance a random person would get into YC

This is simply not true.

There are countless examples of people from outside the US or who went to non-Ivy league schools. Does it move the needle ? Probably. But it's easy to counteract it by having better answers to the other questions e.g. traction, team.