Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

mixergy.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 84 posts

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#11

Post by pg »

icey wrote: post #8

I'd like to know who the first company that YC wanted to invest in was - whether or not they were able to and if it worked out (in case it's a company we don't know the name of). I'd also like to know if there are parallels in running an venture firm to running a startup. Does it take the same kind of guts? Do you get discouraged from a lot of failures? etc

There were 8 simultaneously in the first cycle. Some definitely worked out: Reddit (which was a merger of 2 from that batch), Loopt, Textpayme (the first YC funded startup to be acquired), and Kiko (which was not itself a big success, but afterward the founders started Justin.TV).

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#12

Post by todd3834 »

AndrewWarner wrote: post #7

If you have any questions, add them here. I'll check these comments about 10 minutes before we go live. The focus is the biography of Y Combinator. Along the way I'd like to learn how pg gives the kind of insight that past Mixergy guests said turned their businesses around.

As a programmer with a decent design ability... what talents should be sought after in a co-founder when building a web application. My gut feeling is a UEX/Design expert would provide the most benefit.

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#13

Post by pg »

todd3834 wrote: post #9
AndrewWarner wrote: post #7

If you have any questions, add them here. I'll check these comments about 10 minutes before we go live. The focus is the biography of Y Combinator. Along the way I'd like to learn how pg gives the kind of insight that past Mixergy guests said turned their businesses around.

How much time should be invested in an idea before approaching YC for seed funding (or more importantly the mentorship) and if rejected once does it hurt your chance at being accepted a second, third of fourth try with different ideas?

You should talk to us when you're ready to go fulltime on the startup; it doesn't matter how much time you've spent thinking about the idea.

We often fund people on the second or third try.

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#14

Post by mpstx »

maxklein wrote: post #10

My questions: - Is he always calm? Does he ever get angry and throw things around? - Has he ever 'cut off' a YC company from access to YC? - What is the current relationship between YC and the early successful companies like reddit and loopt. Is there any? Do they call ever now and then? - What proportion of YC applicants come from name-brand universities? - If a YC company becomes a lifestyle company, does YC still…

Additionally:

- What is his opinion of the risk/reward trade-off in attempting to do lots of co-marketing between early stage companies?

- Is any publicity good publicity when you're small?

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#15

Post by iamwil »

AndrewWarner wrote: post #7

If you have any questions, add them here. I'll check these comments about 10 minutes before we go live. The focus is the biography of Y Combinator. Along the way I'd like to learn how pg gives the kind of insight that past Mixergy guests said turned their businesses around.

What's usually the biggest mental hurdle for hackers to transition into entrepreneurs? An understanding of their market? An empathy for users? How to tell a compelling story about their product?

Were past YC alumni who were more hacker-ish molded into entrepreneurs through YC, or did they already come in with such a mindset?

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#16

Post by pg »

todd3834 wrote: post #12
AndrewWarner wrote: post #7

If you have any questions, add them here. I'll check these comments about 10 minutes before we go live. The focus is the biography of Y Combinator. Along the way I'd like to learn how pg gives the kind of insight that past Mixergy guests said turned their businesses around.

As a programmer with a decent design ability... what talents should be sought after in a co-founder when building a web application. My gut feeling is a UEX/Design expert would provide the most benefit.

Determination.

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#17

Post by [deleted] »

maxklein wrote: post #10

My questions: - Is he always calm? Does he ever get angry and throw things around? - Has he ever 'cut off' a YC company from access to YC? - What is the current relationship between YC and the early successful companies like reddit and loopt. Is there any? Do they call ever now and then? - What proportion of YC applicants come from name-brand universities? - If a YC company becomes a lifestyle company, does YC still…

[deleted]

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#18

Post by pg »

iamwil wrote: post #15
AndrewWarner wrote: post #7

If you have any questions, add them here. I'll check these comments about 10 minutes before we go live. The focus is the biography of Y Combinator. Along the way I'd like to learn how pg gives the kind of insight that past Mixergy guests said turned their businesses around.

What's usually the biggest mental hurdle for hackers to transition into entrepreneurs? An understanding of their market? An empathy for users? How to tell a compelling story about their product? Were past YC alumni who were more hacker-ish molded into entrepreneurs through YC, or did they already come in with such a mindset?

Coming to terms with the effort required.

Re: Paul Graham on Mixergy, today 2pm EST/11am PST

#19

Post by loganfrederick »

staunch wrote: post #5

I just hope it's a lengthy interview. I don't think I've ever seen an in-depth interview with PG.

Here is a one-hour interview (audio) Paul Graham did with EconTalk on Startups: http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2009/08/graham_on_start.htm...
Post reply on HN