YC Library

YC's Paul Graham on the biggest mistakes for startups: not making something users want.

A startup is a company designed to grow fast. Everything else we associate with startups follows from growth.

You come up with a random idea, plunge into it, then at each point (a day, a week, a month) feel you've put so much time into it that this must be THE idea.

The very best startup ideas tend to have three things in common: they're something the founders themselves want, that they themselves can build, and that few others realize are worth doing.

YC's Paul Graham explains that startups are counterintuive and all-consuming, and he boils down his advice to two words: just learn.

YC's Paul Graham discusses common reasons why people are reluctant to start a company.

Seven counterintuitive lessons about startups — from releasing early to not getting your hopes up.

YC's Paul Graham introduces a general formula for deciding if trading away stock in your company is worth it.

YC's Paul Graham shares advice for acing the YC interview.

Make something people want' is the destination, but 'be relentlessly resourceful' is how you get there.

The pros and cons of starting a startup in (or soon after) college. Pros: stamina, poverty, rootlessness, colleagues, ignorance. Cons: building stuff that looks like class projects.

Here is what we, at YC, consider the most important, most transformative advice for startups.

The most comprehensive guide on why, when, and how to raise money for your startup.

This is a guide to running your product development process. This will help you rapidly iterate, measure, test, and improve your product while fully engaging your team.

The 10 questions that we think are most important to answer when considering a potential co-founder.

The most comprehensive guide on why, when, and how to raise money for your startup.