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Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

nytimes.com

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Re: Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

#2
This is really great. I worked along side these guys (strikingly) in the same cafe in SF, hacking away for a while before they got into YC. These guys are humble and really doing it right.

They took what others just see as a clone of weebly and have added enough USP to prove that it's all execution. They had customers even while sitting in the little Cafe in SF and have growing fast through sheer force of will ! Biggest thing, humble, not afraid to ask for help and thick as thieves.

These guys are what every entrepreneur should be trying to attain in a team !

Re: Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

#5
post #3

Now that's one inspiring story. $1600 a month in the Bay Area for 3 people? Holy shit. You gotta wonder how these guys did it...

It's doable but, as you would expect, it requires an extremely spartan lifestyle. I'm running about $500/month in SF and am no stranger couch surfing, lots of roommates, sleeping in my car, and (intelligently) fasting, etc. I could theoretically go even lower by purchasing lower quality food but I'm not willing to compromise my health.

Once you've seen the worst-scenario first-hand you realize it's not that bad, and you can shoot for the moon without any fear.

Re: Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

#6
"In the weeks and months following Demo Day, those few who fail to attract enough interest must decide whether to begin a new company, find employment at Google or Facebook or persist and grow “organically” — an unsightly word in the valley of silicon."

Really? That's it? Get funding or go home?

Man. Those crazy entrepreneurs who persist and grow "organically." So unsightly.

Re: Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

#7
post #3

Now that's one inspiring story. $1600 a month in the Bay Area for 3 people? Holy shit. You gotta wonder how these guys did it...

It's doable but, as you would expect, it requires an extremely spartan lifestyle. I'm running about $500/month in SF and am no stranger couch surfing, lots of roommates, sleeping in my car, and (intelligently) fasting, etc. I could theoretically go even lower by purchasing lower quality food but I'm not willing to compromise my health. Once you've seen the worst-scenario first-hand you realize it's not that bad, and…

> and (intelligently) fasting,

Go to the hinterland once a month for cheap gorging on good food; fast the rest of the month in SF?

Re: Y Combinator, Silicon Valley’s Start-Up Machine

#9
post #8

When they keep referring to $100,000 investments for 7%, this is a typo right? (YC usually does ~$10k)

They mean $80k for YC VC ($20k each from Yuri Milner, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Maverick Capital) plus the $14-20k from YC itself.

The ~$20k is for 7% (of common stock); the $80k is under START Note terms, essentially convertible debt which inherits the cap/discount of the next note you do. It's conceivable that just means an uncapped note, so adds onto your Series A.

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