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Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

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Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#41

Post by Cardeck1 »

pg wrote: post #34

Yes, we still have a higher bar for single founders, because it will be harder for them.

Why are we acting as single founders are single forever?It's like, once you enter YC as a single founder you cannot hire anyone else to aid you in your startup, being forever alone.

We both know quality developers would LOVE working for a YC startup and it should be no problem hiring someone as a co-founder IF you know how to pick. Now, of course, that co-founder was not born in the same hospital as you and you might not have that super SyFy connection as super old time buddies but will that lead to a startup failure?No,I don't think so.

In fact I am willing to bet that even a non-technical single founder (ye, we don't like them) with no experience what-so-ever, can handle YC application process. How? Raw/natural talent, cleverness, cunningness etc. Qualities hard to measure and observe, no doubt, but most valuable. If you can get a founder like that, there should be no problems in the future. Going "by the paper" is not always the best choice.

EDIT: And in all honesty the YC Application form is cleverly made to target a specific group of people, eliminating a huge amount of talent and in some points minimizing innovation.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#42

Post by pg »

Cardeck1 wrote: post #41
pg wrote: post #34

Yes, we still have a higher bar for single founders, because it will be harder for them.

Why are we acting as single founders are single forever?It's like, once you enter YC as a single founder you cannot hire anyone else to aid you in your startup, being forever alone. We both know quality developers would LOVE working for a YC startup and it should be no problem hiring someone as a co-founder IF you know how to pick. Now, of course, that co-founder was not born in the same hospital as you and you might…

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it.

If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#43

Post by pg »

wildermuthn wrote: post #37
pg wrote: post #34

Yes, we still have a higher bar for single founders, because it will be harder for them.

Is there any data to suggest that single founders who overcome the increased difficulty also have greater success than their peers? Or is it like running with rocks in your shoes — unnecessarily painful?

Empirically, the latter.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#44

Post by solve »

pg wrote: post #42
Cardeck1 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are we acting as single founders are single forever?It's like, once you enter YC as a single founder you cannot hire anyone else to aid you in your startup, being forever alone. We both know quality developers would LOVE working for a YC startup and it should be no problem hiring someone as a co-founder IF you know how to pick. Now, of course, that co-founder was not born in the same hospital as you and you might…

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it. If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

I would have guessed the exact opposite, that early-stage investors behave like binary classifiers who've been tuned to make a huge tradeoff of lower recall, in exchange for higher precision.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#45

Post by Cardeck1 »

pg wrote: post #42
Cardeck1 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are we acting as single founders are single forever?It's like, once you enter YC as a single founder you cannot hire anyone else to aid you in your startup, being forever alone. We both know quality developers would LOVE working for a YC startup and it should be no problem hiring someone as a co-founder IF you know how to pick. Now, of course, that co-founder was not born in the same hospital as you and you might…

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it. If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

I agree with the risk associated with people you barely know but IF you are smart enough you'll pick someone who is less likely to fail in your team.That is of course another very rare set of skills, to know what to pick and how, but we are assuming that the single founder has that ability. Perhaps I am too confident on this one because I almost never fail in hiring (no arrogance intended) but with the homework done and that "thing", the chances are much higher to withstand that kind of pressure.Now that I think about it, it's probably a cultural thing. Your criterias match the US market more which is understandable and indeed those relationships are hard to maintain but "internationally speaking" you can find what you're looking for, easier.

Perhaps my second statement was misunderstood. No way you guys created the YC application form to eliminate talent. That wouldn't make sense. The intentions were positive but formed some kind of barriers for some applicants. It's like going hunting with a good weapon to catch a good prey (and you do catch some)when there are better weapons at your disposable. So I'm not saying YC is not successful because it would be stupid to say it. What I am saying is, you can significantly improve the success/failure ratio by taking into consideration other indicators as well. You are losing money anyway but you don't know it. Who knows what startups you missed/are missing until now that could've brought you more money than those that already did.Why swim in a small pool when you have a bigger one at your disposal. Also the YC app form reflects jury's mind.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#46

Post by YuriNiyazov »

solve wrote: post #44
pg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it. If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

I would have guessed the exact opposite, that early-stage investors behave like binary classifiers who've been tuned to make a huge tradeoff of lower recall, in exchange for higher precision.

Well, he did say "talent", not "people"

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#47

Post by hunvreus »

pg wrote: post #34

Yes, we still have a higher bar for single founders, because it will be harder for them.

I understand that empirically it seems that having a co-founder decreases your chances of failure. Others have already done a great job at explaining why.

I'd be interested however in understanding how, empirically, single founders with a couple talented contractors/employees compare to the potentially more risky duo founder relationship. Or is this simply not the kind of team YC would get behind?

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#48

Post by pg »

hunvreus wrote: post #47
pg wrote: post #34

Yes, we still have a higher bar for single founders, because it will be harder for them.

I understand that empirically it seems that having a co-founder decreases your chances of failure. Others have already done a great job at explaining why. I'd be interested however in understanding how, empirically, single founders with a couple talented contractors/employees compare to the potentially more risky duo founder relationship. Or is this simply not the kind of team YC would get behind?

Employees can't usually offer the moral support a cofounder can. Unless they become de facto cofounders, but that's pretty rare.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#49

Post by 6thSigma »

Cardeck1 wrote: post #45
pg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it. If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

I agree with the risk associated with people you barely know but IF you are smart enough you'll pick someone who is less likely to fail in your team.That is of course another very rare set of skills, to know what to pick and how, but we are assuming that the single founder has that ability. Perhaps I am too confident on this one because I almost never fail in hiring (no arrogance intended) but with the homework done…

Hiring an employee and finding a co-founder are distinctly different on multiple levels.

Re: Ask PG: Any new thoughts on single founders + YC?

#50

Post by andrewhillman »

pg wrote: post #42
Cardeck1 wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why are we acting as single founders are single forever?It's like, once you enter YC as a single founder you cannot hire anyone else to aid you in your startup, being forever alone. We both know quality developers would LOVE working for a YC startup and it should be no problem hiring someone as a co-founder IF you know how to pick. Now, of course, that co-founder was not born in the same hospital as you and you might…

You can certainly bring on more people, but if you didn't know them before you started the company, your relationship is probably not going to be able to withstand the stresses that a startup will apply to it. If we had really designed the YC application form to eliminate a huge amount of talent, that wouldn't be clever, would it? We'd lose a proportionately huge amount of money.

What is the percentage of founder breakups these days? We talking 20% - 30%? What's worse... a bad co-founding relationship with moderate traction or a technical solo founder who is about seeing early signs of hockey stick growth?
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