Lessons from working with 600+ YC startups | Gustaf Alströmer (Y Combinator, Airbnb)

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Lenny's Podcast

Lenny's Podcast

Күн бұрын

Gustaf Alströmer is a Group Partner at Y Combinator, where he has worked with over 600 startups. He’s also a fellow Airbnb alumnus and even started the original Airbnb growth team. In today’s podcast, Gustaf discusses common reasons startups fail and how he helps coach founders on avoiding these mistakes. He explains the attributes that the best founders tend to have, and signs that a company has potential. We also cover the growing space of climate tech, for which Gustaf has a huge passion and where he’s already had an incredible impact. He shares some key areas of innovation and investment in climate tech, some notable companies he’s helped fund, and where he sees potential going forward.
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Brought to you by Linear-The new standard for modern software development: linear.app/lenny | Eppo-Run reliable, impactful experiments: www.geteppo.com/ | Pando-Always-on employee progression: www.pando.com/lenny
Find the full transcript here: www.lennyspodcast.com/lessons...
Where to find Gustaf Alströmer:
• Twitter: / gustaf
• LinkedIn: / gustafalstromer
Where to find Lenny:
• Newsletter: www.lennysnewsletter.com
• Twitter: / lennysan
• LinkedIn: / lennyrachitsky
Referenced:
• Airbnb tweet: / 1580330162725347330
• Startups Are an Act of Desperation: blog.eladgil.com/p/startups-a...
• The 18 Mistakes That Kill Startups: www.paulgraham.com/startupmist...
• Do Things That Don’t Scale: paulgraham.com/ds.html
• Marc Andreessen: a16z.com/author/marc-andreessen/
• How to Talk to Users: • How To Talk To Users |...
• How to Get Your First Customers: • How to Get Your First ...
• Pachama: pachama.com/
• Request for Startups: Climate Tech: www.ycombinator.com/blog/rfs-...
• Climate Draft: www.climatedraft.org/
• Seabound: www.seabound.co/
• Fleetzero: www.fleetzero.com/
• Unravel Carbon: www.unravelcarbon.com/
• CarbonChain: www.carbonchain.com/
• Sinai: www.sinaitechnologies.com/
• Enode: enode.com/
• Statiq: www.statiq.in/
• Heart Aerospace: heartaerospace.com/
• The 100% Solution: A Plan for Solving Climate Change: www.amazon.com/100-Solution-S...
• Without a Doubt: How to Go from Underrated to Unbeatable: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...
• Emily in Paris on Netflix: www.netflix.com/title/81037371
• Everything Everywhere All at Once on Showtime: www.sho.com/titles/3493875/ev...
• How to Apply and Succeed at Y Combinator, by Dalton Caldwell: • How to Apply and Succe...
• Y Combinator on KZbin: / ycombinator
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Gustaf’s background
(04:15) What made Airbnb so special
(07:21) How culture interviews and hiring founders contributed to Airbnb’s success
(10:31) Motivations for starting companies
(13:17) Why Gustaf helps founders understand their motivations
(14:13) Reasons you should not start a company
(16:03) The magic that happens at YC office hours
(20:45) Why founders in coworking spaces should schedule time to talk
(21:36) Questions Gustaf asks founders
(22:26) Common reasons startups fail
(26:23) Getting over the fear of rejection
(27:57) The importance of solving for pain points and why you should watch users
(34:21) The value of having a technical co-founder
(37:42) How founders without technical expertise have succeeded
(40:46) Attributes of the most successful founders
(44:57) Why it’s hard to predict success and how YC advises against failures
(46:59) Indications of potential for success
(50:03) Speed vs. quality
(51:11) Confidence vs. humility
(52:48) Execution and tactics vs. strategy
(54:36) Autocratic vs. collaborative-driven founders
(56:27) Why you should focus on product first
(59:03) The economic incentive for investing in climate tech
(1:02:16) The clean-tech bubble of 2008
(1:04:59) Why you don’t need to be super-scientific to work in climate tech
(1:06:51) Areas of climate tech and promising companies
(1:12:27) What’s going well in the climate-change space
(1:16:49) Lightning round
Production and marketing by penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.

Пікірлер: 69
@Prograffable
@Prograffable Жыл бұрын
This content is free, least I can do is watch an ad. Tons of experience in this pod
@alexakten
@alexakten 3 ай бұрын
as a semi-technical founder without a lot of expertise in agriculture, this is so inspiring to hear on my climate tech startup journey to help farmers! thank you so much for this, so many valuable lessons
@anafigueroa5971
@anafigueroa5971 Жыл бұрын
This is amazing! Thanks for the detailed notes. ❤
@chameleon_bp
@chameleon_bp 2 ай бұрын
The best interview i have seen that summarises what makes startups successful from a VC perspective. Love it. Thanks!
@vishnukannan3736
@vishnukannan3736 Жыл бұрын
This was such a nice episode. Thank you!
@cavidismayil6559
@cavidismayil6559 Жыл бұрын
Thank you brother, it really helped. Such a nice presentation and everything.
@aymanz83
@aymanz83 3 ай бұрын
One of the best talks, fair, insighful and have a lot of information. Great one
@americanonobrasil2128
@americanonobrasil2128 6 ай бұрын
Lenny just found your channel and am binging your videos. This one in particular is off the charts, can't believe I have access to this for free. Thank you for your work!!!!!
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast 5 ай бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@brandon6490
@brandon6490 26 күн бұрын
This is so addictive while finishing my app to test, thanks for the amazing insights.
@javi_park
@javi_park Жыл бұрын
a goldmine of wisdom!
@rmccool
@rmccool Жыл бұрын
Good episode and solid advice. Thanks!
@franciscoizaguirre9069
@franciscoizaguirre9069 Жыл бұрын
Loving these Lenny - keep it up!!
@ehibble
@ehibble 5 ай бұрын
I've never subscribed quicker in my life.. Lenny you're getting some great names on the show : )
@soumyagupta4910
@soumyagupta4910 9 ай бұрын
Learned so much from this conversation. Thank you both!
@arunkutube
@arunkutube Жыл бұрын
very exciting episode, thanks
@Motivation2Invest
@Motivation2Invest Жыл бұрын
Great Questions Lenny, keep it up 👍
@chan90s
@chan90s Жыл бұрын
Leeny, this is gold
@sicktastictv
@sicktastictv Жыл бұрын
As always, an amazing interview. I love learning from Gustaf.
@rizvy99
@rizvy99 11 ай бұрын
SALMON FISH>>>>SOLOMON AIR CHASING>>>>AND THE SALMON IN LUNCHEON NOVEL OF ROTTERDAME< UNILEVER COMPANY JEWS GAME
@kcygt
@kcygt Жыл бұрын
very nice episode.
@CoolioAsMiles
@CoolioAsMiles Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the shared knowledge! Great value! Unfortunately I believe non-tech founders can be underrated in their ability to value the importance of tech and the ability to execute. Yes, there are outliers. However, I believe in time the best founders of the future will be less technical. But will have a much more creative philosophical skill set. No right no wrong, just build and create no matter what skill set you have. Cheers all!
@RahulBadesra
@RahulBadesra Жыл бұрын
Helpful video guys! And good insights - loved the idea of founders meeting hours! So helpful to get a good feeling ! And absolutely customers are such a key ..
@aurabless7552
@aurabless7552 Жыл бұрын
Another great episode! as a ESG grad, glad to see companies like YC driving climate tech by combining product development and ESG together =)
@BarryFranks
@BarryFranks Жыл бұрын
When he talks about family and how he thinks about some of his Airbnb coworkers - I think it’s perfectly acceptable to grow into relationships with colleagues that feel much closer than just a co-worker dynamic. However, it’s not acceptable for leaders to presume their company is a “family” and all those who join are family.
@adive5590
@adive5590 Жыл бұрын
Lenny, love the podcast. I’m a product designer and it’s helped me out a lot. Loved this episode especially. I’ve watched hundreds of Y Combinator videos, and its been a game changer over the years. What kind of camera do you shoot your video with? It’s crispy.
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast Жыл бұрын
Canon EOS M50 Mark II
@lespinal
@lespinal Жыл бұрын
@@LennysPodcast I love how you keep eye contact with the audience. How do you achieve that? is it through watching at the lense? or do you keep your camera close to the monitor?
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast Жыл бұрын
@@lespinal I've been upgrading my setup little by little, and to do that, I got a teleprompter thing that lets you sit the camera behind a screen and the monitor reflects on to a piece of glass. It's pretty wild.
@user-kq1tg2cm8k
@user-kq1tg2cm8k 2 ай бұрын
Working with people like Gustaf can improve you as a person and as an entrepreneur
@xavieroneill
@xavieroneill 13 күн бұрын
This is clearly an aristocratic tribe few have access too.
@harambeboy
@harambeboy Жыл бұрын
Lenny office got dat upgrade
@sanjaymohan4156
@sanjaymohan4156 Жыл бұрын
Gustaf the type of guy to talk to customers before a date with a 10 he met
@rizvy99
@rizvy99 11 ай бұрын
SALMON FISH>>>>SOLOMON AIR CHASING>>>>AND THE SALMON IN LUNCHEON NOVEL OF ROTTERDAME< UNILEVER COMPANY JEWS GAME
@toemsakpolsri1073
@toemsakpolsri1073 Жыл бұрын
I have experienced that hard of doing startup...
@JackMthembu
@JackMthembu Ай бұрын
I founded a company with little technical skills but I was able to build a MVP and get some good traction to validate my startup. Can I still get a CTO come on board as a Co-Founder and what is fair equity for them?
@zetsui0411
@zetsui0411 29 күн бұрын
8c 48good indicator of succcess progress on weekly or biweekly timescale 4850 try to get people not to fail 5130 if you aint confident why should investor be? 55c
@jasonwillems9959
@jasonwillems9959 Жыл бұрын
We all want to be a part of a greater purpose , that's why we gravitate our positive experience with successful products at the end of the day that's the game plan.
@tyreselove9393
@tyreselove9393 Жыл бұрын
I find it Hard to believe that after seeing “500+ startups” you’ve never seen ONE company use an outside contracting firm ??? 🤔 make it make sense. Great interview and insights besides that one question.
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast Жыл бұрын
These are companies that got accepted into YC, and they generally don't accept startups that rely on contracting firms to build the product.
@sguploads9601
@sguploads9601 Жыл бұрын
calendly made by contracting engenering
@gustaf
@gustaf 9 ай бұрын
True - there is an exception for every rule
@MB-hz7wm
@MB-hz7wm 2 ай бұрын
💯 32:30 - 33:45 😂
@alextodd1583
@alextodd1583 Жыл бұрын
😅😢🎉
@johnapple3471
@johnapple3471 9 ай бұрын
Lets be honest, the whole climate thing is completely overhyped
@RobbenBanks153
@RobbenBanks153 2 ай бұрын
This guy really doesn’t know which startups will succeed or fail. I know from experience. Amazing how we put YC up on a pedestal
@brandon6490
@brandon6490 28 күн бұрын
Imagine being negative on such an amazing podcast, change your mindset or your mindset will change you. 🙂
@fanaccount6600
@fanaccount6600 17 күн бұрын
You should start a vc fund and become a trillionaire in a few years then!
@blasterzm
@blasterzm 12 күн бұрын
Lol, you don't either
@yaari4307
@yaari4307 10 ай бұрын
podcasts are too long...... No one has 1:30 mins to watch videos
@Riteshsawantplays
@Riteshsawantplays Жыл бұрын
Too many ads lenny
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast Жыл бұрын
Oh interesting feedback! You feel two pre-roll (~2 mins) and one mid-roll (~1 min) is too many? That's pretty typical for a podcast in my experience.
@nbme-answers
@nbme-answers Жыл бұрын
​@@LennysPodcast "you know you found the right price when people complain but still buy" --pg
@khaliljammal
@khaliljammal Жыл бұрын
Not enough ads. Get paid Lenny!
@LennysPodcast
@LennysPodcast Жыл бұрын
@@khaliljammal 🤣
@Littlestephy29
@Littlestephy29 Жыл бұрын
@@LennysPodcast I didnt think it was too many ads at all, in fact I could have seen 1 more and been fine
@edward826
@edward826 2 ай бұрын
Too bad about all the leftist talks... was interesting till all the political talks. Had to check out halfway the video
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