3 ms·

To start a company or join one?

3 points by Sam_Odio 20y ago

Sam_Odio 20y ago
YC seems to mostly invest in founders right out of school - many on their first startup. I've thought about this route - but I'd guess I'll learn more by working at a successful small startup for a few years first. What does everyone think? Is there a bias @ YC towards first timers?
- vlad 20y ago
  You ask about founding a startup, joining one, and whether YC cares if you have some startups under your belt. You have already created a few businesses yourself, at least two of which are active and very likely more profitable right now than most YC companies are at this point. It's very likely that very few founders of YC companies have any business experience what-so-ever. I think you are way too impressed by what some MIT guys are doing (in general) and should have more confidence in your own abilities. I would suggest to treat life like an adventure and go for whatever startup idea you have as soon as possible. What would you be your goal? To save up some money? In that case, it would be better to work at a startup than as employee number twelve-hundred. In reality, you should leverage your business experience and customer-relations skills to create your own startup as the next thing you do in life. I will try to move to San Francisco as soon as I can. I think you (or I) will gain a lot of experience networking with other startups on their own level while in the Silicon Valley, without having to necessarily work for any of them. Remember, as soon as you become employee #5 at one of startups (big or small), you are no longer a co-founder and nobody will see you on the same level. What are you waiting for?
danielha 20y ago
Experience is good. ("I still think 23 is a better age than 21.") But the best way to gain experience would be pursuing a startup. ("But the best way to get experience if you're 21 is to start a startup. So, paradoxically, if you're too inexperienced to start a startup, what you should do is start one.") So from my view, it isn't so much that there's a bias towards first timers, it's that there isn't a bias against first timers. [Quotes from Paul's newest: http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html] http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html]
- vlad 20y ago
  Great point. I told my parents when I was 21, "I could make more money working at McDonald's than what I'm doing right now. The point is, everybody who has a small business or sold a startup, no matter what age they are right now, they started their quest for independence when they were 18, or 25. And, the only way to get experience at anything is to do it." The great thing about software is how few Americans are doing it. There are many bright programmers in Asia but unfortunately their economies, political barriers, and upbringing preclude them from starting their own businesses. This is even true in places like England and France. And, of those who are in America or are born in the US, very few even want to start a company, with the amount of money some companies pay (and the catered lunches, and all that jazz.) So, there are very few of us who understand that it is our duty in life to start our own businesses, figure out the logistics, and then hire all these smart people around the world who deserve to work for great and smart people like us. It is not a choice to create a new startup. It is our duty, because 99% of American programmers are either too content with their life or only dedicate 2 hours a day to creating something (plus have no understanding of what exactly they are trying to accomplish so they give up early), and the other programmers in other countries have no hope of ever starting a business, no matter how good their grades are, or how smart and ambitious they are. It is our duty to create startups that solve some problem and help people, and give people jobs. Also, remember that you may think you're getting 100% of the experience working for a startup or running a part-time business, but unless you make it your only source of income, you are not really giving it 100%. This also means you are not receiving 100% of the experience someone else (like a competitor) is getting out of their full-time effort.

3 points by Sam_Odio 20y ago

YC seems to mostly invest in founders right out of school - many on their first startup. I've thought about this route - but I'd guess I'll learn more by working at a successful small startup for a few years first. What does everyone think? Is there a bias @ YC towards first timers?

vlad 20y ago
You ask about founding a startup, joining one, and whether YC cares if you have some startups under your belt. You have already created a few businesses yourself, at least two of which are active and very likely more profitable right now than most YC companies are at this point. It's very likely that very few founders of YC companies have any business experience what-so-ever. I think you are way too impressed by what some MIT guys are doing (in general) and should have more confidence in your own abilities. I would suggest to treat life like an adventure and go for whatever startup idea you have as soon as possible. What would you be your goal? To save up some money? In that case, it would be better to work at a startup than as employee number twelve-hundred. In reality, you should leverage your business experience and customer-relations skills to create your own startup as the next thing you do in life. I will try to move to San Francisco as soon as I can. I think you (or I) will gain a lot of experience networking with other startups on their own level while in the Silicon Valley, without having to necessarily work for any of them. Remember, as soon as you become employee #5 at one of startups (big or small), you are no longer a co-founder and nobody will see you on the same level. What are you waiting for?

danielha 20y ago

Experience is good. ("I still think 23 is a better age than 21.") But the best way to gain experience would be pursuing a startup. ("But the best way to get experience if you're 21 is to start a startup. So, paradoxically, if you're too inexperienced to start a startup, what you should do is start one.") So from my view, it isn't so much that there's a bias towards first timers, it's that there isn't a bias against first timers. [Quotes from Paul's newest: http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html] http://www.paulgraham.com/notnot.html]

vlad 20y ago
Great point. I told my parents when I was 21, "I could make more money working at McDonald's than what I'm doing right now. The point is, everybody who has a small business or sold a startup, no matter what age they are right now, they started their quest for independence when they were 18, or 25. And, the only way to get experience at anything is to do it." The great thing about software is how few Americans are doing it. There are many bright programmers in Asia but unfortunately their economies, political barriers, and upbringing preclude them from starting their own businesses. This is even true in places like England and France. And, of those who are in America or are born in the US, very few even want to start a company, with the amount of money some companies pay (and the catered lunches, and all that jazz.) So, there are very few of us who understand that it is our duty in life to start our own businesses, figure out the logistics, and then hire all these smart people around the world who deserve to work for great and smart people like us. It is not a choice to create a new startup. It is our duty, because 99% of American programmers are either too content with their life or only dedicate 2 hours a day to creating something (plus have no understanding of what exactly they are trying to accomplish so they give up early), and the other programmers in other countries have no hope of ever starting a business, no matter how good their grades are, or how smart and ambitious they are. It is our duty to create startups that solve some problem and help people, and give people jobs. Also, remember that you may think you're getting 100% of the experience working for a startup or running a part-time business, but unless you make it your only source of income, you are not really giving it 100%. This also means you are not receiving 100% of the experience someone else (like a competitor) is getting out of their full-time effort.