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Catarina wasn't born into "startup royalty" -- she was an unknown entrepreneur when she started Flickr. Most companies from YC, 500 Startups, etc are created b
by nilsbunger 15y ago
Catarina wasn't born into "startup royalty" -- she was an unknown entrepreneur when she started Flickr.
Most companies from YC, 500 Startups, etc are created by first-time founders, and they've had remarkable success.
It does help to have an "unfair advantage" in your startup. But for most of us it isn't celebrity; it's deep knowledge of a market segment, or a special relationship with a customer or channel, or specialized tech skills, or something else.
Between that, and mentorship from people who have more experience, connections, and/or celebrity than you, you can do almost anything.
- Todd 15y agoI was going to make this point as well. The corollary is that, to overcome the implicit bias against the unknowns, your first success must be a genuinely great or useful idea. The unknowns who became the knowns often had a breakout success with their first successful product. Caterina and Flickr are the poster child example.