Comment by zbruhnke | Hacker News Reader

Comment by zbruhnke | Hacker News Reader

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I've applied twice as a solo founder and have had no luck. If you think Sam Altman is tenacious you definitely have not met me yet. I haven't sold Obama O's like Brian Chesky and the gang but I have some stories that would be considered equally compelling by most.

I founded a company and had an exit while still in college full time. I had 13 employees when I was 19, I currently work for a well funded startup with top tier investors and ship code every day. Yet even with all that said I have not managed to get to the interview round.

This time around I have something a little more special in store for my application, so we shall see how this works. For me (like many others I'm sure) the problem is not selling people on the idea, it is selling qualified people on the idea. I want to bring on someone who can truly add value to the team and I want a partner not just another body.

It's just finding a way to stand out on the application process that a solo founder has a hard time with, I think many solo founders don't realize exactly how hard that is when the YC staff reads through more than 2,000 apps each cycle now.

If you are more tenacious than Sam Altman, then you should use your tenacity to tenaciously find a cofounder.

I don't know if finding a co-founder is about tenacity. When I was looking for a co-founder for my idea, the problem wasn't finding someone who was interested or qualified - it was finding someone I thought I could work with that closely, and someone I could trust 100%. The poster is probably in a similar scenario...

I will without a doubt, I will have two preferably and the equity split would be equal among the founders. That said tenacity does not mean - "Acts quickly with no regard for future consequences" so I am careful and calculating with every move I make and it means everything to me that I find exactly the right person to work on this with. Passion has to be involved to a certain degree to make a startup work and as someone who had a partnership go to the wayside before compatibility and commitment are of the utmost importance for me in my search for a co-founder

I wouldn't take YC's decision to heart. They have no crystal ball and cannot know if you will ultimately be successful. You should be willing to persue a good idea regardless of your YC application, which I think is largely a crapshoot anyways.

From my experience of entering YC as a single founder, you need to find a key and simple differentiator that separates you from all of the co-founded companies applying. It should be super clear and concise why you are going to succeed when other's aren't. Statistically, single founder companies fail a hell of a lot more than co-founded companies, you need to give them a reason to take a chance on you.

Also, don't place too much importance on the idea, they know you'll figure it out eventually.

Thanks for the advice, I'll certainly make sure I try to set myself apart in the application process this time around.

and btw I am a big fan of what you are doing with everyme! can't wait to see how the finished product turns out :)

Thanks! And good luck with the application.

If you're such a rockstar, why bother with YC at all?

I certainly am not claiming to be a Rockstar however I will answer your question in the best way I know how.

I believe in people truly adding value, I know from experience (knowing YC Alums) that YC adds value and can turn a good product into a great product. I am not too proud to know that there are lots of people out there who are Faster, Stronger, Smarter and probably better looking than me however I am also aware that if I am not actively seeking out those people (I believe YC has tons of them) then I am already a step behind those who are.

So while I truly believe with the right product and vision I will succeed no matter what I find no harm in trying to better myself via a program like YC.

I view YC as marketing. You gain exposure to your product/company/people via YC. You pay for the marketing with equity instead of cash.

I would say the same reason many established companies have. For the connections and learning that only YC can provide.

I wouldn't say anything YC provides can't be found elsewhere with some good old fashioned elbow grease and networking. But for a lot of people it will offer a big head start.

EDIT: What's with the downvotes? I thought HN was mostly hivemind-free, but I guess not when it comes to YC?

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