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Tom, whats frustrating for me is I feel like my partner and I exhibited all those attributes. We don't think its the team, we know our team is strong. So it mus

by coryl 17y ago

Tom, whats frustrating for me is I feel like my partner and I exhibited all those attributes. We don't think its the team, we know our team is strong. So it must be the idea: they aren't getting it. We emailed a few YC alum to review our application last month, and they all said we were a great team. One loved the idea, one liked it, and one had no clue about the market (wasn't familiar with Facebook and quizzes). Our idea targets young people (12-25 yrs). Which leads to my thinking, that because they're unfamiliar with it (YC partners too old, would never do facebook quizzes), they brushed it off? One other issue is that they prefer built out products with users. We only had a working demo and proof of concept samples. Either that or all the other teams were more spectacular. Which bothers me, cause I've been looking people up on twitter who say they got interviews, and their products seem mediocre.

speby 17y ago
Sounds like you forgot about it, looked the other way, and moved on, right? Did you build out your idea regardless? What happened afterwards?
- coryl 17y ago
  This just happened, we applied to this session (S10). We will be building the idea out regardless, maybe even applying to YC again in the winter. But I'm still frustrated, its just not making sense in my brain and I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong. YC does make mistakes, maybe my rejection is simply one of those mistakes. Or maybe the idea does suck. I'd love to know which, lol.
  - lincolnq 17y ago
    Well, if you really want to know, post your YC application. I'm sure people would read it (at least I would) and give feedback. It won't tell you definitively why YC turned you down, but it will probably get you a lot of interesting feedback. (If you don't want to post it publicly, I will read it and give my feedback, but I don't have much experience in this area myself.)
freshfunk 17y ago
"Tom, whats frustrating for me is I feel like my partner and I exhibited all those attributes. We don't think its the team, we know our team is strong. So it must be the idea: they aren't getting it." I bet you 90% of the YC rejects feel this way. I mean, really, what makes you think you're different from anyone else? The point isn't that you're the same. The point is that you have you consider that everyone is putting their best foot forward and has the confidence in themselves and their idea to try out for this program. Maybe they didn't get it... but then I'd say that's more your fault than theirs. You have to be able to convey your idea as easily and simply as possible.
- coryl 17y ago
  I know most of everyone rejected feels the same way as I do. I can't speak for anyone else application, but I know my team is smart and determined and has the evidence to show for it. I think the frustration lies is not knowing where we went wrong (which PG actually wrote a little essay about; sometimes there is no reason. Maybe its just a numbers game). Also, I'm not blaming YC for not getting the idea. I know it has to be clear and concise. I worked pretty hard to make it clear, which is why I solicited the help of 3 YC alumni in reviewing the application.
  - freshfunk 17y ago
    I thought about it more and I think it's better that YC doesn't give more feedback other than "no." Think about it. Let's say they said, "Your team was too weak." What's the result of that going to be? It's going to be ugly and messy. What if they said, "Your idea is too weak." Then you'd probably email PG yourself on why your idea is not weak with the following proof why. Same goes if he said there's no market for it. Basically anything they say can result in a lot of backlash and the blame game when maybe the reason was that it was a little bit of everything.
    - coryl 17y ago
      Thats one way of looking at it. I like to learn and improve from my mistakes and failures. If he said those things, sure I'd try to refute them and convince him. But eventually I'd look at the criticisms in a more critical manner. I'm not above anyone's feedback or advice.
python123 17y ago
How do you know your team is strong? What are your achievements? Strength is a relative thing.
- coryl 17y ago
  High school summers spent working together on projects. Building viral products that made us money. Selling those businesses. Putting in after-work hours. Failing a lot.
  - nlabs 17y ago
    Sounds like you are at a point beyond where YC makes sense.
    - coryl 17y ago
      22 yrs old just finished university.
tomhoward 17y ago
Well it's self-evident that the other teams conveyed themselves as being more spectacular. It doesn't mean you're not, possibly just that the words you used didn't make it apparent enough. Also bear in mind that they're looking for ideas that have the potential to be hugely profitable and/or world-changing. Without knowing anything more about it, when I hear 'Facebook quizzes' my immediate reaction is that it's a little limited on that front. But if, as you say, it's an idea whose potential might be hard for people unfamiliar with this type of product to understand, then you need to come up with a way of demonstrating it. So get to work :)
paraschopra 17y ago
> Our idea targets young people (12-25 yrs). Which leads to my thinking, that because they're unfamiliar with it (YC partners too old, would never do facebook quizzes), they brushed it off? Did you validate your ideas somehow? Maybe some surveys or examples of existing similar apps being successful? Any prototypes? It is easy to say YC partners didn't get your idea - but it was your job to demonstrate that it holds real value.

by coryl 17y ago

speby 17y ago

Sounds like you forgot about it, looked the other way, and moved on, right? Did you build out your idea regardless? What happened afterwards?

coryl 17y ago
This just happened, we applied to this session (S10). We will be building the idea out regardless, maybe even applying to YC again in the winter. But I'm still frustrated, its just not making sense in my brain and I'm trying to figure out where I went wrong. YC does make mistakes, maybe my rejection is simply one of those mistakes. Or maybe the idea does suck. I'd love to know which, lol.
- lincolnq 17y ago
  Well, if you really want to know, post your YC application. I'm sure people would read it (at least I would) and give feedback. It won't tell you definitively why YC turned you down, but it will probably get you a lot of interesting feedback. (If you don't want to post it publicly, I will read it and give my feedback, but I don't have much experience in this area myself.)

freshfunk 17y ago

"Tom, whats frustrating for me is I feel like my partner and I exhibited all those attributes. We don't think its the team, we know our team is strong. So it must be the idea: they aren't getting it." I bet you 90% of the YC rejects feel this way. I mean, really, what makes you think you're different from anyone else? The point isn't that you're the same. The point is that you have you consider that everyone is putting their best foot forward and has the confidence in themselves and their idea to try out for this program. Maybe they didn't get it... but then I'd say that's more your fault than theirs. You have to be able to convey your idea as easily and simply as possible.

coryl 17y ago
I know most of everyone rejected feels the same way as I do. I can't speak for anyone else application, but I know my team is smart and determined and has the evidence to show for it. I think the frustration lies is not knowing where we went wrong (which PG actually wrote a little essay about; sometimes there is no reason. Maybe its just a numbers game). Also, I'm not blaming YC for not getting the idea. I know it has to be clear and concise. I worked pretty hard to make it clear, which is why I solicited the help of 3 YC alumni in reviewing the application.
- freshfunk 17y ago
  I thought about it more and I think it's better that YC doesn't give more feedback other than "no." Think about it. Let's say they said, "Your team was too weak." What's the result of that going to be? It's going to be ugly and messy. What if they said, "Your idea is too weak." Then you'd probably email PG yourself on why your idea is not weak with the following proof why. Same goes if he said there's no market for it. Basically anything they say can result in a lot of backlash and the blame game when maybe the reason was that it was a little bit of everything.
  - coryl 17y ago
    Thats one way of looking at it. I like to learn and improve from my mistakes and failures. If he said those things, sure I'd try to refute them and convince him. But eventually I'd look at the criticisms in a more critical manner. I'm not above anyone's feedback or advice.

python123 17y ago

How do you know your team is strong? What are your achievements? Strength is a relative thing.

coryl 17y ago
High school summers spent working together on projects. Building viral products that made us money. Selling those businesses. Putting in after-work hours. Failing a lot.
- nlabs 17y ago
  Sounds like you are at a point beyond where YC makes sense.
  - coryl 17y ago
    22 yrs old just finished university.

tomhoward 17y ago

Well it's self-evident that the other teams conveyed themselves as being more spectacular. It doesn't mean you're not, possibly just that the words you used didn't make it apparent enough. Also bear in mind that they're looking for ideas that have the potential to be hugely profitable and/or world-changing. Without knowing anything more about it, when I hear 'Facebook quizzes' my immediate reaction is that it's a little limited on that front. But if, as you say, it's an idea whose potential might be hard for people unfamiliar with this type of product to understand, then you need to come up with a way of demonstrating it. So get to work :)

paraschopra 17y ago

> Our idea targets young people (12-25 yrs). Which leads to my thinking, that because they're unfamiliar with it (YC partners too old, would never do facebook quizzes), they brushed it off? Did you validate your ideas somehow? Maybe some surveys or examples of existing similar apps being successful? Any prototypes? It is easy to say YC partners didn't get your idea - but it was your job to demonstrate that it holds real value.