Wasn't that interesting, but PG is always a little inspiring

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20090601/the-start-up-guru-y-combinators-paul-graham.html#self

Be sure to checkout the info-graphic on the right, hover over the people to see who they are. I haven't had a chance to look up all the companies yet to see what they're doing.

Also, I can't believe he serves "goop on rice" once a week to these guys. The guy is a fucking multi-millionaire, couldn't he at least get a Qdoba taco bar catered in?

Nice article, I will have to give it a read. I did do a first page skim where he said that most of his companies start around $25k. That's about how much I was looking at for my startup... when time permits.

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I am no more an evolutionist than I am a gravatationalist or an electromagneticist.

It's a great read indeed. My personal favorite quote from it was "Running a startup is like getting repeatedly punched in the face, but working at a large corporation is like being waterboarded"

I like the whole "Goop on rice" thing. It works to not get them used to nice amenities so they are capable of living with inconvenience in the name of the big picture.

Eat qdoba when you're rich.

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Do it for the Lobster

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Eat qdoba when you're rich.

Glad to know I'm already rich.

I think the "goop on rice" has more to do with the whole starving, socially clueless, never showering, code genius but unable to function in real life hacker image. I think it's a little overdone.

I've seen the companies that came out of y-com, they ain't Googles. Considering the results, I don't know how these founders claim to be hacking 24hrs a day and too busy to function normally. PG would be more helpful to teach time management, avoiding burnout, and how to do laundry to these kids. It sounds like from the article that he does help them with their pitches. I think learning how to give a presentation would be worth more than saving a couple bucks a day on healthy food. And I'm sure he's full of valuable advice too.

PG is smart, and y-com is an interesting idea. His pretentious attitude gets at me sometimes. He got lucky selling out in the dot-com boom, and now thinks he's a genius because he hands out $10k like candy to kids he interviews for 10 minutes. Come on.

Sorry. I'm probably just mad that I'm not 22 anymore with all the free time in the world to start a company.

Frankly, I like his style. He's sure of himself and he's applying the formula that worked for him, and for those who he's seen to be successful.

As an incubator, he only really does the YC thing with them for 3 months, after that, they're cut loose. If you burn out after 3 months, you're just not cut out to be a founder. His job is to push them to succeed and in the process, make money a pile of money if they do.

He's not telling a bunch of children how to fit in in society, he's trying to guide super-human startup founders who are driven by their own motivation, and don't give a shit if they're eating goop on rice, as long as they keep their eye on the prize.

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Sorry. I'm probably just mad that I'm not 22 anymore with all the free time in the world to start a company.

Let's be fair, you're 28, it's not like you're 35 trucking the kids off to soccer practice and sitting on the PTA. You're married and a homeowner, yeah, those are important, but you could very well sit down and grind out something in the off hours and weekends. If you're gonna do something, do it before you've got apples falling off your tree. PG was 30 when he started Viaweb.

Or save up a pile of money and take dive toward freedom and quit your job. I'm not exactly the shining beacon of success (translation: I haven't sold out yet), but when I did quit Cayen, I had $14k saved up, and I knew that, worst case scenario, I'd just have to get a job if everything failed. If the house is really holding you back, sell it and get an apartment. Part of me regrets buying a house at all for the exact reason that it's a liability and an anchor. I would be just as productive in an apartment, though I would miss hosting LAN Parties.

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Do it for the Lobster

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Sorry. I'm probably just mad that I'm not 22 anymore with all the free time in the world to start a company.

I'm struggling with the same thing holding down a full-time job AND getting my master's + more school when that is done.

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I am no more an evolutionist than I am a gravatationalist or an electromagneticist.

Way to stick it to me! (it's what I need)

I still don't like PG. He's closer to Mark Cuban than Larry & Sergey or even Bill Gates.

Also, I forgot to say, if you don't subscribe to Inc, you should. It's super cheap, I always find at least a few good articles each month. And some of the strictly business-oriented stuff is helpful too.

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Way to stick it to me! (it's what I need)

Heh. Thought you'd appreciate it!

Yeah, I've been thinking about subscribing to Inc, my problem is that whatever mags I do have a subscription to I don't end up reading really anyway, and then it just adds clutter.

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Do it for the Lobster