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My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

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Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#131

Post by ecesena »

semerda wrote: post #113

Nikki, thanks for sharing your story. You definitely experienced alot! It sounds like you hit 2 of the biggest issues startups can face. Co-founder disputes and Product issues. Re Co-founder disputes - once money gets involved and the cap table is in your favor in the early days, the s t will hit the fan. Raising money dilutes everyone and that too has a negative effect of the minority holders and can create some bad…

+1 for the E2 visa, as an option to take into account (I'm an Italian in SF with a 5y E2 visa)

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#132

Post by 31reasons »

Wow I am kind of jealous of getting an opportunity to fail so spectacularly. It is obviously very hard but Nikki is very young and decades ahead of her to try new ventures. I call this great learning experience a success if you haven't lost your arm or a leg and can still function as a normal human being. She is definitely a winner, its pretty obvious to me.

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#134

Post by andrewstuart »

AndrewWarner wrote: post #119
chong7 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

is this a joke ? why are you telling others ?

No joke. I've gotten some of my best guests by commenting on Hacker News. The community here is incredible. I would usually just leave it at an email, but I imagine her inbox is flooded after this incredible post. Also, I'm hoping her friends will see this and help me connect with her.

Aren't you meant to be on paternity leave? Still working?

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#135

Post by [deleted] »

crassus wrote: post #75
jakejake wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's great that you take the high road and don't resort to dragging other people through the mud. You definitely seem to place the responsibility all on yourself, which I imagine is not always the full truth. Not providing any reason at all, actually makes it sound as if the two co-founders just randomly and completely bailed on you. (Which may be exactly the truth) I was trying to imagine a logical scenario,…

I find it refreshing that we got this level of truth and detail from a startup post-mortem. The price for that transparency is selective opacity in a few still-sensitive areas. I get the deal.

[deleted]

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#136

Post by justsee »

clarebear wrote: post #55

I cringed at the description of "a lady who took an obvious immediate disliking to me" in the visa office. It made me sad to recall times that a woman has controlled my destiny and denied me for whatever reason when the men would have let me in. I'm so sorry that Nikki also knows what that feels and looks like. I hope my daughter never does.

I think you can safely assume "a lady" is merely descriptive, and not accusatory, unless you're searching for prose to be offended by.

If it was a man, and the sentence included "a man" I could also imagine a snide comment from some male commentator accusing her of misandry.

Can't win!

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#137

Post by nostromo »

Sometimes I wonder how non-technical founders can sleep at night with all the stress. It elevates cofounder risk to a single point of failure for the entire company.

Seeing through "developer bullshitting" is a dark art that is hard to master without spending a bit of time as a developer.

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#138

Post by vijayboyapati »

I was in the same YC batch as Nikki. The thing I remember most about her was her enthusiasm. I also remember that her presentation on Demo Day got the loudest applause and most interest. Sad to hear 99dresses didn't make it, but I'm sure Nikki will have a bright future. Few young women her age will have gained the experience and insight that comes from founding a company and seeing it fail. As Michael Jordan said "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#139

Post by austenallred »

nostromo wrote: post #137

Sometimes I wonder how non-technical founders can sleep at night with all the stress. It elevates cofounder risk to a single point of failure for the entire company. Seeing through "developer bullshitting" is a dark art that is hard to master without spending a bit of time as a developer.

Indeed. As a former non-technical founder (now semi-technical), the worst part of the fear of failure is that your "job" is keeping companies alive. If your company dies, not only is your company a failure, but your only "skill set" is called into question. Knowing that fact and simultaneously being unable to contribute directly to the product, wondering how hard you can push your technical co-founder/team (or how far is right?) is enough to drive one insane.

It was easier (and more beneficial) for me to learn how to program. I'm not the most technical one on the team, but at least I can pitch in and work instead of wonder.

Re: My startup failed, and this is what it feels like

#140

Post by groby_b »

zo1 wrote: post #129
groby_b wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a gender issue, it's a U.S. bureaucracy issue. They're all little tinpot dictators who like making up rules on the spot - and U.S. bureaucracy design takes away many avenues of recourse, so they get away with it. I've experienced them when immigrating to the U.S., at the DMV, when getting inspections for contractor work. The little $*(#@ get off on making you feel helpless. Who picks on you seems to have to…

"* it's a U.S. bureaucracy issue*" It's an issue everywhere, not just in the US.

In many other countries, you have the benefit of well-defined rules, and well-defined escalation paths. Both are notably absent in the U.S.
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