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Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

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Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#11

Post by pg »

clicks wrote: post #4

I wonder how the YC guys feel about the abundance of "how to get accepted to YC" articles. Just as you can prepare for the SAT you can now prepare for the YC tests -- there are a lot of examples of accepted applications, videos, thoughts from founders, etc. just like this very submission. The point is, there is probably less differentiation in the new pool of applicants in terms of their submission applications which…

Such articles can be good. It depends on their focus. It wouldn't be good if people wrote articles talking about how to trick us. But if they tell applicants how to avoid mistakes that will make it harder for us to appreciate them, that's great.

I myself wrote an article about that: http://ycombinator.com/howtoapply.html

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#12

Post by wf »

OT: Just a heads up to the lollipuff team if you're around, the meet the co-founders blog you link to in the OP shows up like this for me in FF 23 on Windows 7. http://i.imgur.com/db4Lr48.png

Great insight, though! I really like lollipuffs concept, I would also have funded you guys; I love it when the perfect solution for a pain point takes off.

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#13

Post by tptacek »

It's interesting to me how a simple-seeming bit of technical infrastructure (a blog -> auction site for a specific vertical) can become a vector for delivering and monetizing an expert service like fashion authentication. There are lots of "little" expert services like that which aren't well served with the professional services model, but are maybe hugely valuable when plugged into some kind of e-commerce or online fulfillment service.

Also: is this the first demo day video that's ever been published by YC? Wow are those short. What does a "good" audience reaction look like? Can you get a read on the room while it happens?

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#15

Post by [deleted] »

tptacek wrote: post #13

It's interesting to me how a simple-seeming bit of technical infrastructure (a blog -> auction site for a specific vertical) can become a vector for delivering and monetizing an expert service like fashion authentication. There are lots of "little" expert services like that which aren't well served with the professional services model, but are maybe hugely valuable when plugged into some kind of e-commerce or online…

[deleted]

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#16

Post by beambot »

tptacek wrote: post #13

It's interesting to me how a simple-seeming bit of technical infrastructure (a blog -> auction site for a specific vertical) can become a vector for delivering and monetizing an expert service like fashion authentication. There are lots of "little" expert services like that which aren't well served with the professional services model, but are maybe hugely valuable when plugged into some kind of e-commerce or online…

Searching for "ycombinator demo day presentation" on YouTube returns a couple other YC Demo Day pitches.

I wasn't the one giving Lollipuff's pitch (it was our CEO, Fei, who has lots of experience from speech competitions). And yet standing just off stage, I was too nervous to judge audience reaction. Perhaps the YC partners standing in / around the audience would be better calibrated to make that determination?

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#17

Post by sfpirate »

Outside the Bay Area, few people know about YC. An article in 2006 by pg made me plan for 3 years to finally move to SF in 2009 (I had googled "how to start a company"). There are a lot of ambitious people out there that don't even realize people here compete for not having a job. Articles like this can change lives if they can raise that awareness through the right channels. Thanks for taking the time to publish it.

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#18

Post by beambot »

wf wrote: post #12

OT: Just a heads up to the lollipuff team if you're around, the meet the co-founders blog you link to in the OP shows up like this for me in FF 23 on Windows 7. http://i.imgur.com/db4Lr48.png Great insight, though! I really like lollipuffs concept, I would also have funded you guys; I love it when the perfect solution for a pain point takes off.

Thank you so very, very much! I fixed it (I believe).

Re: Lollipuff's Y Combinator Experience

#20

Post by beambot »

wellboy wrote: post #19

Not trying to be a downer, but how are you an interesting company to invest in when your entire opportunity, if you take 100% of the market, is $5M/year?

Our MVP launched with just 3 of the hottest brands, which had that level of transactions on eBay alone. Across all women's fashion brands and all designer resale, there are roughly $100B in transactions per year (see the Demo Day video at the link). Start small and grow outward. ;)
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