Why You Shouldn't Copy Your Tech Idols

Do famous founders give advice they didn't follow themselves? How seriously should you consider the advice of people like Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Peter Thiel? It’s hard not to give advice when you’re successful, but context matters. In this episode, Michael Seibel and Dalton Caldwell dig into why some advice givers might be tempted to say “Do as I say, not as I did” and how we try to avoid doing that within YC.
Apply to Y Combinator: yc.link/DandM-apply
Work at a Startup: yc.link/DandM-jobs
Chapters (Powered by bit.ly/chapterme-yc) -
00:00 - Intro
00:14 - Advice Paradox
01:28 - 3 Examples
02:09 - Sam Altman
03:01 - Elon Musk
03:30 - Peter Thiel
03:47 - Sam's Success
06:34 - Elon's Success
09:22 - Peter's Success
12:12 - How We Avoid This?
15:16 - Personalization
16:57 - Outro

[@ycombinator]

Which startup founder do you admire most and why?

[@candidliam]

Brian Chesky, I resonate with him being a designer and a problem solver at heart.

[@SathishKumar-ye9rr]

Milkbasket

[@Bitsmiths]

Elizabeth Holmes...

[@shahzadansari849]

That's a Great Pick 🤣🤣🤣@@Bitsmiths

[@luskira]

Erlich Bachman, founder of the great company Aviato

[@rylaczero3740]

I think your videos helped me preserve my sanity during the darkest days of my life. Having no investor, no mentor, no one to give feedback on if the decisions you are taking are the right ones creates a psychological hellscape because of uncertainties and consequences thrown at your mind. I am forever greatful even if I just pretended you to be my mentors in imagination. Even if you think you are talking to void, the void thanks you.

[@ericmuellejans7270]

Beautifully said!

[@rakaaira]

Wow

[@patriotlightning7791]

Hope the best for you mate ❤

[@Levnerad]

There exists a solution to every problem in your life. I believe this wholeheartedly. You can do anything you want, just step back sometimes and find the “opening” to take. There’s always one there. Be like eddy mora from limitless

[@miedzinshs]

Elon has made this point in interviews that you should not begin your career by building a hard-tech startup like Tesla/SpaceX. He called it “advanced” entrepreneurship.

[@mangarific1]

Link to video?

[@Atmatan_Kabbaher]

Elon had the hard labor of hundreds of people exploited to get where he is. I wouldn't trust his advice on much of anything except how to abuse your employees and make SA jokes about rescue divers.

[@krox477]

It's easier to do these things when your dad owns emerald mine

[@stephaneessomba9441]

Reproduce the path of a successful entrepreneur is absolutely impossible because it's a combination of unlikely intense events. We can follow general advices like work hard, be resilient, discipline...but the choices and some other such stuffs are very hard to follow. So good luck to those who want to "copy" 😁

[@karlmoor6051]

Starting small is probably a great advice, because small & fast wins will build up your self-confidence you’ll need for bigger projects in the future.

[@tethron.]

You may be a mere mortal, but you don't have to be a muggle. Take your startup one step at a time!

[@kevnev342]

Giving prescriptions never work and never will. What these founders did is so specific to luck, being at the right place at the right time, experience, networks, knowledge, and so much more. As Peter Thiel said, 'Every moment in history happens only once. All successful companies are successful in their own unique way'.

[@Atmatan_Kabbaher]

Don't fool yourself. Luck has nothing to do with it. Some people are just very good at using others to get what they want.

[@ramanshariati5738]

you are awesome guys. you give life-changing advices. thanks.

[@chapterme]

Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) - 00:00 - Intro 00:14 - Advice Paradox: Why It's So Hard to Copy Your Heroes 01:28 - 3 Examples 02:09 - Sam Altman 03:01 - Elon Musk 03:30 - Peter Thiel 03:47 - Sam's Success 06:34 - Elon's Life Story 09:22 - Peter's Success 12:12 - How We Avoid This At YC? 15:16 - Personalization: Video Content vs. Office Hours 16:57 - Outro

[@benditovicentecosta1710]

Interestingly, a few years ago I was wondering, why are American people so successful, so I concluded that in order to understanding, I needed to see the world in your eyes, in order words, i am like, speak your language, see what you see, read what you read, go where you go/went, learn to code, and that is how I am far of my compatriots here in Angola, and how I am build my first products, as hobbyist, and it all began by emulations you

[@chinyeakaezeugwa3520]

Great Bro

[@skinneymoney]

Well done man

[@mimi21746]

It's true, same as me, based in Kenya. I learnt US history, ideologies of successful US people, culture and politics, to understand how Americans think.

[@vinayakanaik]

Amazing talk folks !!! All your videos helps a get lot insights and finally strength and work on core values which constructed who I am today!!! Definitely our paths will cross some day, most of the days it's a dream which is possible, I can feel it, keeps me on track and make wonders reality 😊 More power to you folks... Thank you 😊

[@user-jd6ph7sd8z]

Good Work! It would be incredibly insightful if you guys could start a series where each video could focus on a single company or influential personality, delving into the various factors and reasons behind their success.

[@JudeMarchisio]

You missed the whole point of the video. Lol

[@AlessandroOrlandi83]

Thanks, very informative video. Thanks for being honest and direct.

[@chinmayadhiman3358]

This helps a lot... So much clarity we get from you guys

[@Nash0303]

Always sound advice and this one came at the right time. Thank you!

[@silverchairsg]

For Theil, he encountered mimetic theory when he took a class under professor Rene Girard in college, and this deeply shaped his worldview and approach towards managing a startup, so...

[@michaelmcwhirter]

These videos really are great. It's like that honesty and ground up thinking. Listen to your heroes yet also forge your own journey 🔥 even if that means going through the same exact trials and tribulations that they did

[@hunir1]

This is such an important video! Thank you for making it.

[@GetPodcastAI]

0:00 Introduction and overview of the episode 1:27 Examining successful people's advice: Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel 6:37 Discrepancies between Peter Thiel's advice and his personal experiences 9:37 Understanding why successful people give advice they didn't follow themselves 12:22 The importance of sharing personal stories and learning from mistakes 14:08 Influence of college experiences on life paths and decisions 15:26 The challenges and benefits of personalizing advice for a wide audience 16:40 Exploiting personal advantages for startup success 17:10 Appreciating successful entrepreneurs and learning from their journeys Table of contents powered by PodcastAI✨

[@samgoodwin89]

Put simply, the journey is what matters, not the outcome. Hindsight is not always useful because the insight requires the mistakes made during journey.

[@etinosaizekor6533]

This is priceless content! Thank you!

[@dontdoit6986]

Believing your own mythology. It happens in the music world. With music, musicians craft their image and play it out on stage. As they get more celebrity, the public discourse shapes their image. Some lean into the notoriety and play it up. Others openly defy the myth, with mixed results. The danger here is the rockstar lifestyle takes them at a young age. Fascinating psychology.

[@SRavindhranGanapathy]

Thank you so much for this lovely and honest video... 🎉

[@eleken.agency]

We see this a lot with our clients - they want to copy the look of big hits like Stripe, thinking it'll give them the same success (not gonna happen). It's not about copying a cool gradient or design. What really makes companies like Stripe stand out is how deeply they understand their users, their needs, and how they use the product. That's the secret sauce. You gotta dig deep into understanding your own users, not just slap on a trendy design and hope for the best. Success isn't just about looking the part, it's about really getting your users.

[@bluecuracao6478]

Thank you, really makes sense and useful!

[@amogugodswill2027]

This is so awesome, One of the things I tell my friends. there can only be one, Elon, Bill's Gate, or Steve Jobs, what works for them most likely won't work for us. understanding what works for us is key, our challenges and their challenges are not the same. So I decided to go on my own, cause i knew deep down trying to copy the big guys won't work. Great to know I am correct. we can't act like the big guys we have to make the most, of what's available to us and gradually figure things out.

[@829001333]

You guys are helpful. Thanks!!!

[@ahmaddotpk]

High appreciation for all the advice from the 'void'.

[@Akos-Duna]

In case of SpaceX he is still in this mode of doing today what's neccessary to build up the possibility of doing what he wants to do "tomorrow" - he wants humans to build a self-sustaining city on Mars, but even now he first has to build the Starlink & Falcon9 business to fund the Starship program.

[@k.s.9400]

This video was exactly what I needed today. Thank you

[@sirtony5542]

You're stand up Guys and I respect that. There is already something in my kitchen that I'm cooking already. I'll see you very soon 💪❤️...

[@liberate-ed]

he insights shared here are not just applicable to startups, but are universal truths that could benefit anyone in any industry. Thanks for putting together such a valuable resource.

[@carloseduardoguimaraesbrag3223]

Thx for the video!

[@RealIntelligence001]

Dalton got it when he said “I think you should always assume positive intent from what people do.”

[@nightsharkAlgo]

"The best advice for startup founders is not to listen to anyone's advice" - Andreessen Horowitz

[@Normadic456]

I remember him telling that on Lex Fridman podcast 😅😅

[@lowkey7641]

@@Normadic456 same herel. that was very counterintuitive and yet it makes sense lol.

[@friedpizza262]

I suppose that includes his advice, which I appreciate, seeing that getting/seeking advice is necessary sometimes.

[@literasikeamanandigital4771]

including his advice 🤣

[@StreamAgency]

Mike and Dalton are legends!

[@maxrusakovic]

You inspired me to create two projects. likeremote and abodva. thank you for that!

[@YoannBuzenet]

Would you have the URL of the video where Micheal tells the story about PG giving him 50 thousands just to see that happen ?

[@harrison6082]

13:00 That's a good point to remember.

[@ehza]

This is super helpful!

[@NavinKumar-fh7nl]

This was quite revealing!

[@hydecheung3865]

LOL I never realised Elon's first goal is actually same as mine. I'm not following Elon's advice directly, but I am trying to follow what he did to make these company succeed. Which is trying to be very mission and goal oriented.

[@jonathanguzman1137]

How can I prepare myself mentally for the chance of success? I know everything changes when someone becomes successful, and I do want change, but it's scary. Got any advice?

[@wedontexist369]

Depends on the level of success

[@miedzinshs]

If that is your worry starting out, pretty sure you won’t need that information.

[@wedontexist369]

@@miedzinshs If you aren’t considering the end goal and are working in the dark towards some abstract idea of the future… you’re definitely not going to need much information yourself.

[@miky97it]

This video feels like "Do not do other the ways, our way is the only right way"

[@YoannBuzenet]

Really great, thanks

[@Rynofinds]

The attacks were shot to NEO at the end lmao so funny

[@indighosh]

This is the reason why I respect YC!

[@hackerandpainter]

also michael seibel's laugh gives me life

[@ccccc6]

I'm following Elon's advice, my plan was: minimum university, minimum work experience with a lot of learning, agency where i can make more than 10/20k per month, build a real company in manifacturing or anything else that I like . I'm starting the agency now with a cofounder. I would suggest to do this to everyone, agencies are the esiest money ever for nomal people. I'm not talking about people that want to become billionaires

[@ccccc6]

when I say I'm following I mean that before knowing him I was following his advice

[@justchillin1012]

what agency?

[@houjunr]

I think people who truly want to do something should just get that locked in and utilize whatever resources to make that happen. Even if some steps are less efficient, the direction is still forward.

[@ksec6631]

It is interesting to see Silicon Valley are now somewhat back to normal when they can spell out Peter Thiel's name again. When it wasn't possible since 2016.

[@virtualedufairnepal1078]

two dudes who started this video to speak truth, but kept managing not to speak it, hurt them, lol. And I understand why one has to be good to everyone around yourself, especially on public video.

[@rylaczero3740]

And the truth is?

[@1val]

Moral of the story: Do as I do not as I say (or make up your own mind)

[@khairulimran1269]

that personal story about Elon is so important

[@hackerandpainter]

real talk

[@houjunr]

YC I LOVE YOU GUYS

[@ianabenaitwe4856]

The void thanks you

[@sanjayaadhikari9867]

Don't copy, take inspiration

[@ShinobiEngineer]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@d7ffab979]

What do you even know? You don't know what works, your companies only have 2% success rate or so, if you had perfect knowledge, it should be close to 100%. You guys have no clue either. You just have slightly less no clue than some others as you have figured ONE set of paths or possibilities that work. Maybe it DOES work out just copying them. Who knows. Much of humility and less of authority is required by you guys.

[@wedontexist369]

Some people are meant to change the world, some are meant to flip the burgers. It’s relative and subjective to who you are. Don’t be something you’re not - don’t try and be great if you’re not, don’t try and be small if you are great.

[@syth9]

If only the world were so simple. It’s a pretty idea at least 🙂

[@MRApht]

But how do you know which are which? 🙃

[@callmeterry5371]

who gives the meaning? oh ofc, it's ourselves

[@syth9]

Do you really think Elon still a good hero though? People can create and accomplish amazing things and still be terrible heroes. I have learned from you guys a lot about not judging other founders (big and small) harshly based on a loud narrative but sometimes you got to call a spade a spade guys 😅

[@samgoodwin89]

What’s he done wrong? The world is definitely better with him around. Great guy.

[@MRApht]

Elon (like every other human) is complicated. You can study and learn from his founder qualities, while disagreeing with his personality / politics / whatever. That is not mutually exclusive.

[@syth9]

Sure. But generally speaking, when someone considers someone a “hero” vs an inspiration or teacher that implies a much less skeptical lens and a greater degree of emotional investments. Once you make someone your hero then you’ll be much less likely to see and accept their faults since it will feel more personal. That can be very dangerous when people like Elon are selected as heroes given the immense power he carries and how carelessly he wields it.

[@genericdeveloper3966]

I would agree on the skipping college thing, as a self taught developer. Not to say college doesn't have value, but I got my motivation to become a developer by working full time at jobs I hate. Of course it doesn't work for any career path, but for tech it is great. Plus college is too woke now anyway.

[@mimi21746]

Problem is, what if your tech stack gets disrupted? What if you want to work on bleeding edge innovations, you will need that CS degree and the connections to researchers

[@andrewjedi]

elon is not mortal, it's been proven

[@rylaczero3740]

I think Elon is doing big things but there’s even bigger things that could improve future of humankind.

[@theamazingmarlbito6293]

I think the thing people know about Peter Theil is his bigoted politics

[@nothingness1425]

do I see 2 gays on the thumbnail?

[@drmvh]

Hahaha admire Musk and Thiel? Even for business success? Bastrds both, utter and complete

[@Gd-jq6mz]

Sam is so overrated lol how are they possibly putting sam and elon in one sentence

[@dhanik_kcs]

insightful video

[@harshrawat671]

[@BizLytInteractive]