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I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#641

Post by erik14th »

sama wrote: post #69
atroyn wrote: post #33

What's something common that partners have to repeat over and over until founders 'get it' ?

The most common thing is getting founders to focus on the right thing. At this stage, nothing but building a product that users love matters. Founders want to focus on anything else, and have wonderfully detailed excuses for why whatever it is is so important. "Write code and talk to users" is not sexy, but it's the road to success. Seeing your name in the press is sexy, but unfortunately has nothing to do whatsoever…

It sounds pretty sexy in the startup class [0].

[0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz_LgBAGYyo

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#642

Post by impendia »

jsmthrowaway wrote: post #626
dropit_sphere wrote: post #619

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what this account is for, after all, so: I am a regular poster on r/theredpill(which was recently "honored" by winning the bigotry category---but with low toxicity---in a recent sentiment analysis of reddit comments). There is a lot of what someone might call "hate speech." Some of that doesn't really deserve the title and is just "truths that polite society omits;" some reflects genuine, generalized anger ag…

The Red Pill an organization of freedom fighters? We're comparing feminists to ISIS now? Genuine, generalized anger against women? What are you upset about, that it's fallen out of favor to feel up a woman at a bar without permission before you begin a courtship that ends with her in the kitchen as your property with your dinner on the table at 5:30? Upset that you can't give her two black eyes for finishing dinner a…

I am a pretty strong feminist, and agree that a comparison to ISIS is far off base.

Nevertheless, I believe that one reason for the backlash against feminism is the perception that feminists are spiteful and would rather argue against straw men and make ad hominem attacks than actually argue their point of view.

Actually, I've found that most feminists are surprisingly patient and eager to explain their point of view and their experiences with sexism, even to skeptics or to ideological opponents. Although I've learned that feminists have a very good point whether or not they are being nice, it was by meeting and talking with such feminists that I was converted to their cause.

I urge you to please adopt their tactics.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#643

Post by matheweis »

awalGarg wrote: post #232

Hey sama! From the YC founder's profile application: > Please tell us about the time you, , most successfully hacked some (non-computer) system to your advantage. I am so much longing to know, why a "non-computer" system? There are so many things I could have boasted of but can't because of the "non-computer" thing :P

I don't speak for YC, but I'd guess it has to do with demonstrating that you're not just a coder in a basement, and that you'll be able to get things done in the "real" world.

Sam's answer to his own question is probably a great indicator of the type of thing that he's looking for: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9239203

edit: also this - have you done the impossible https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9239229

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#644

Post by DanBC »

jsmthrowaway wrote: post #626
dropit_sphere wrote: post #619

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what this account is for, after all, so: I am a regular poster on r/theredpill(which was recently "honored" by winning the bigotry category---but with low toxicity---in a recent sentiment analysis of reddit comments). There is a lot of what someone might call "hate speech." Some of that doesn't really deserve the title and is just "truths that polite society omits;" some reflects genuine, generalized anger ag…

The Red Pill an organization of freedom fighters? We're comparing feminists to ISIS now? Genuine, generalized anger against women? What are you upset about, that it's fallen out of favor to feel up a woman at a bar without permission before you begin a courtship that ends with her in the kitchen as your property with your dinner on the table at 5:30? Upset that you can't give her two black eyes for finishing dinner a…

> I would have never predicted someone who speaks positively of The Red Pill works in the subset of technology that made him aware of Hacker News, and all that does is make me rethink what I thought was a typical level of intelligence to work in this field.

There was an influx of TheRedPill users a few hundred (300? 500?) days ago. Most of them ended up getting shaddowbanned within a week or so. A few stuck around. There's also a bunch of people with similar views but who have never visited that subreddit.

It is a bit disturbing.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#645

Post by matheweis »

dean wrote: post #418

Have you ever considered funding enough to attract people who have financial obligations, such as kids, a spouse and a mortgage? It seems like a huge, untapped, resource that no one else is going after.

Speaking as one of those people, it's not just the financial obligations. In fact I think the financial obligations are a relatively small part of it; it just means a higher burn rate, which isn't a tremendous problem in the scope of these things.

The much bigger problems are the conflict of time spent on family vs the startup, and/or in many cases the desire to have a stable environment for the family.

The time can be managed for people who have a lot of energy and are equally passionate about their startup and families. I've seen it work out... but I've also seen it tear others to pieces when they didn't get the balance just right.

I'm not suggesting that burn rates and starting on small amounts of capital aren't important, just that it's a small problem relative to the time commitments.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#646

Post by wlfsbrg »

wlfsbrg wrote: post #24

Hi Sam, Not a YC-specific question, but I was wondering what advice you have for someone who lives outside of a major technology center and doesn't have the ability to move? I'm eager to get something started here in the next year but I'm pretty much on my own, thanks!

Not much it seems. :)

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#647

Post by AstroChimpHam »

kzhahou wrote: post #614
nostrademons wrote: post #601

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you believe it's exploitative, why not take the other side of the trade? Go become a startup founder yourself. Lots and lots of people in Silicon Valley do that, and ultimately, that's what's causes market correction. If there are way more startups out there than talented engineers capable of building products, then the engineers can negotiate a much better deal for themselves. Or they don't and go out of business…

> Go become a startup founder yourself. The issue isn't me. And, I might already be a founder. That's besides the point. I'm happy for your friend. That's excellent, to be able to negotiate well. Most people don't. And most people are TOLD, repeatedly, that 1% is an "excellent" percent even as the earliest joining a company. The word "exploitative" is as tricky today as in centuries past. If the employee doesn't want…

I've been both a founder and an early employee. As an early employee, I always received a salary, and knew I could leave any time I felt like it. My level of risk was low, and I was perfectly happy with my equity knowing I had a nice upside without much downside at all.

As a founder, I haven't paid myself in months, and have commitments to my customers such that I 100% can't just shut things down and leave to do something else without killing a lot of relationships and getting a terrible reputation.

Of course, I can only speak to my own experience, but I'm satisfied with my amount of equity in both situations.

Re: I Am Sam Altman, President of Y Combinator. AMA

#650

Post by jbhatab »

wlfsbrg wrote: post #24

Hi Sam, Not a YC-specific question, but I was wondering what advice you have for someone who lives outside of a major technology center and doesn't have the ability to move? I'm eager to get something started here in the next year but I'm pretty much on my own, thanks!

I have a slack channel I'm growing that's open to all aspiring developers and entrepreneurs to eventually solve this exact problem. Check this page for more info, http://www.openmindedinnovations.com/about. Just email me at jbhatab@gmail.com if you're interested :).
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