You shouldn't apply to YCombinator if...

[pg]

Oddly enough, "Why did we fund you again?" is not an uncommon question at the first office hours. Often when we fund a startup, it's because of something they could do in the future. So at the first office hours when they describe what they're currently doing, that doesn't always include what we liked about the idea.

[mindcrime]

On a related note; when you first talk to a group of founders, if you feel strongly that they should be pursuing a different idea than the one they are currently pursuing, do you usually say so right away? Or do you wait for them to struggle with the current idea and ask you for assistance / advice (if that happens) before saying anything?

[pauldisneyiv]

This part of the story defines the upside of Y Combinator for me. It isn't the cash or the inevitable writeup in TechCrunch nearly as much as the guidance.

There is no anger or disappointment expressed by PG in the story - just straightforward advice on what the group needed to do.

Thank you for sharing.

[svjunkie]

It actually sounded like a bit of a test as I read it. Sort of a second trial by fire, the interview being the first. It simulates the feeling of pressure (for some, at least) while the stakes are relatively low, making it easier to handle tough questions when the incubating company is pitching clients or future investors.

[kalvin]

Interesting. I'd heard of this happening and it made you sound strangely clueless (and a bit of a jerk). Thanks for the explanation.

[jemka]

You shouldn't apply to YC if...you don’t have the heart and the team to go through five product pivots in three months and back... (from article)

[velshin]

HN readers: in case busy (shouldn't you be?), @jemka's comment will save you the trouble of reading the rambling article.

[kevingao1]

"Even if you feel unsure about your current idea, just apply. Ideas change, awesome teams don't."

Don't think you can say it better than that. Nice article crowdboosters

[parfe]

Was the Maritime Treason line a joke? I'm not sure I follow how the wiki article applies to leaving a cruise early.

[dtran]

No, sadly it wasn't. IANAL and neither was the customer service person at the cruise line who cited the Jones Act to me, but to my understanding, it applies because passengers technically count as cargo. Therefore passengers embarking on a ship leaving the US cannot disembark and not return on the same vessel.

[pbtran]

you cannot take constructive criticism, cannot take risks, cannot sell ice to Eskimos, do not have a sense of quirky nerd humor, and most importantly if you do not like eating cereals for breakfast, lunch and dinner for weeks at a time as money is getting tight in your startup budget.

[rewind]

Might want to rethink the "sell ice to Eskimos" part. That's the furthest thing from what's expected from any startup.

[ladon86]

Obviously you guys were a good fit for YC, both in terms of culture and ability.

What I wonder is, what percentage of applications are completely unsuitable for YC?

What percentage of applications can basically be ruled out as competition?

[nanoanderson]

I actually felt my heart pumping each time I read "## days until Demo Day". That's how starting a business should feel. Money's running out, time is running out, energy is running out. How are we going to make this work, today?

[kieftrav]

Great post, David! I remember the beginning days and hearing the story as it happened. Nice to read the whole story in one well-written article. Keep it up!

[seanahrens]

"Ricky and I met Mark at Startup School in October 2009 (I guess we have to begrudgingly thank Berkeley for at least that much)"

Hehe. As a bear I say Grrr... =D

[rgrieselhuber]

Great post guys and thanks very much for the mention.

[azymnis]

awesome post guys... and yes the punchline is key: you have to have the stomach to pivot if you are thinking of applying to YC

[c1sc0]

I learned more from film & music at SXSW than from interactive

[idlewords]

...you can just build it yourself

[xentronium]

I think YC is more about connections and press and experience you can't get on your own.

[d0m]

if you know nobody inside yc..

[nicholasjbs]

My cofounder and I applied and were accepted with exactly zero connections to the Valley and effectively no YC connections (one friend of a friend was a YC founder, but we didn't end up getting in touch until after we'd gotten in). I doubt that's the norm, but we're proof that it's possible.

If we'd been smarter/less naive, we'd have cold-emailed one of the dozens of YC founders who publicly state they'll chat with people who are applying.

[abstractbill]

Even if that were really true, the post itself offers you the opportunity to know someone on the inside - "shoot us an email with any questions you have about YC". What are you waiting for?

[answerly]

There is nothing age specific about YC. There have been YC founders over 40.

I think that folks that complain about being "too old" for YC usually mean that they have lots of commitments that aren't compatible with the requirements of the program.

But, there are plenty of YC founders of all ages with significant others, kids, mortgages and other financial commitments.

People that are looking for an excuse will typically find one.