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I'm the author :) FWIW I didn't have Alumni in my network until I decided to apply and then I started seeking them out. I went so far as to cold-email people o

I'm the author :) FWIW I didn't have Alumni in my network until I decided to apply and then I started seeking them out. I went so far as to cold-email people on AngelList. Also I live in Austin so the number of alumni has now doubled since I'm back, to give you an idea of how slim the pickings are. I don't know how much the exit mattered. pg has a way of making you feel like nothing matters except the quality of the words coming out of your mouth.

jt2190 13y ago
Great article aelaguiz , very thoughtful. I especially like the "no bullshit" part. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts about why you decided to seek out YC in the first place, especially since you'd already had some success with PokerTableRatings. Also, I was genuinely surprised that your typical experience with Angels is that they focus so heavily on not loosing their initial investment. This strikes me as too risk-averse given the nature of early tech startups. Did you find yourself wasting a lot of time with these folks? Any advice for how to spot/avoid them?
- aelaguiz 13y ago
  Really I have to say it was an emotional decision. I've been a fan of pg and YC for years and now I actually was free to try it and had a team that was inclined to, so I went for it. Angels are regular people. They are as diverse as any crowd at a mall. I've found that outside of SF they tend to be MUCH more downside conscious. I did waste a lot of time with some angels who turned out to be bad for the ecosystem (willing to toy with entrepreneurs for long periods of time). The best advice (and I live by it) is anything that isn't a yes is a no. That doesn't mean stop trying but that does mean that you focus your energy on stronger leads first. Nobody actually says no, with very few exceptions. It's hard to understand this until you get a few checks closed and then you'll know what a REAL yes feels like.
soneca 13y ago
Good to know about the Alumni. But the track record, well it is hard to get a better indicator that you are a good team than a successfull previous startup. I would say that he wanted to know the quality of your words just to check that wasn't just luck that made you successfull. Anyway, is not that I demotivated, I just know I will have to find different ways to prove I am worthy the bet of YC. To be fair, two great advices I took from your post: Explain don’t sell and Explain your startup to your non-technical friends. Thanks! ;)
- jnovek 13y ago
  " But the track record, well it is hard to get a better indicator that you are a good team than a successfull previous startup." While this was probably true for Amir, YC routinely rejects founders who have previously built startups for other reasons -- eg, insufficient traction. Regarding your application: I was one of the alums who reviewed Amir's application. I will generally review a few each application period and give pointers. Most YC alums that I'be known will do the same if they're not too busy with their respective companies/lives at the time. Just politely E-Mail them, be prepared and treat them like you think their time is valuable.
  - aelaguiz 13y ago
    If you're courteous and succinct most alumni will treat you in kind. Except for jnovek who is to be avoided at all costs.

jt2190 13y ago

Great article aelaguiz , very thoughtful. I especially like the "no bullshit" part. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts about why you decided to seek out YC in the first place, especially since you'd already had some success with PokerTableRatings. Also, I was genuinely surprised that your typical experience with Angels is that they focus so heavily on not loosing their initial investment. This strikes me as too risk-averse given the nature of early tech startups. Did you find yourself wasting a lot of time with these folks? Any advice for how to spot/avoid them?

aelaguiz 13y ago
Really I have to say it was an emotional decision. I've been a fan of pg and YC for years and now I actually was free to try it and had a team that was inclined to, so I went for it. Angels are regular people. They are as diverse as any crowd at a mall. I've found that outside of SF they tend to be MUCH more downside conscious. I did waste a lot of time with some angels who turned out to be bad for the ecosystem (willing to toy with entrepreneurs for long periods of time). The best advice (and I live by it) is anything that isn't a yes is a no. That doesn't mean stop trying but that does mean that you focus your energy on stronger leads first. Nobody actually says no, with very few exceptions. It's hard to understand this until you get a few checks closed and then you'll know what a REAL yes feels like.

soneca 13y ago

Good to know about the Alumni. But the track record, well it is hard to get a better indicator that you are a good team than a successfull previous startup. I would say that he wanted to know the quality of your words just to check that wasn't just luck that made you successfull. Anyway, is not that I demotivated, I just know I will have to find different ways to prove I am worthy the bet of YC. To be fair, two great advices I took from your post: Explain don’t sell and Explain your startup to your non-technical friends. Thanks! ;)

jnovek 13y ago
" But the track record, well it is hard to get a better indicator that you are a good team than a successfull previous startup." While this was probably true for Amir, YC routinely rejects founders who have previously built startups for other reasons -- eg, insufficient traction. Regarding your application: I was one of the alums who reviewed Amir's application. I will generally review a few each application period and give pointers. Most YC alums that I'be known will do the same if they're not too busy with their respective companies/lives at the time. Just politely E-Mail them, be prepared and treat them like you think their time is valuable.
- aelaguiz 13y ago
  If you're courteous and succinct most alumni will treat you in kind. Except for jnovek who is to be avoided at all costs.