@herprayer I agree with you on so many points there, yes my next step is building and selling to get customer base. I’m going to take what you said and start implementing it. We have a working product already, just no customers yet and that’s where the connections come in which I was hoping YC and others can provide, which my non ivy degree connections doesn’t.
300 Applications later! Here is what I learned.
- Thread starter mynu
- Start date
-
- Tags
- startup y combinator
jhoncarpp11
New member
henriettag
New member
@mynu OP I think your approach is a great way to gain clarity and will make you a better founder and leader.
I’m assuming you are doing these applications in ADDITION to talking with users and building product. And using the application questions to guide your conversations with users, market research, and building product. Is that right?
Yeah, anyone can make the argument that you need to be hyper focused on building the product and talking with customers. And this is valid.
I’m a founder that is hyper focused on building product and talking with customers.
But along the way, I’ve had these two thoughts:
1. I was never ‘forced’ to think about my startup in the eyes of the investors. It was only when I applied for YC that I was able to gain clarity on my startup. All the information was there and the work was done, but the questions in the application helped me to gain clarity. So I think it’s a positive thing for you to be doing these applications and getting clarity on your startup and learning how investors evaluate your startup.
I’m assuming you are doing these applications in ADDITION to talking with users and building product. And using the application questions to guide your conversations with users, market research, and building product. Is that right?
Yeah, anyone can make the argument that you need to be hyper focused on building the product and talking with customers. And this is valid.
I’m a founder that is hyper focused on building product and talking with customers.
But along the way, I’ve had these two thoughts:
1. I was never ‘forced’ to think about my startup in the eyes of the investors. It was only when I applied for YC that I was able to gain clarity on my startup. All the information was there and the work was done, but the questions in the application helped me to gain clarity. So I think it’s a positive thing for you to be doing these applications and getting clarity on your startup and learning how investors evaluate your startup.
- We could’ve went for funding a lot sooner and if/once secured, moved a lot faster and been even further along. It’s a ‘what if’ now.
@henriettag Hey thanks for the positive comment, yes to answer your question I’m doing this in addition to talking to users and building customer base and attending cyber conferences all over USA to get customers. All tandem. Since I don’t have time in my hand we want to implement everything quickly, this will keep us fresh and innovative IMO. One of the most important things I learned is how to convert my pitch from highly technical to downright non technical and sell it. On the side note: I’m headed to RSA next week and and going to speak with all the vendors (1000+) to see how they pitch their product and sell it. Going there only to learn how to pitch to CISOs and ask proper questions. Nothing else! I will learn from them and implement in my sales script the questions they ask and how they think. Should be fun
cahoon1986
New member
@cahoon1986 DM sent cheers
@machine45 Sure sent
keep building on!@vinter Well it’s not a SaaS platform, it’s a locally hosted licensed yearly product due to the sensitivity of the platform. Might go SaaS down the road when more products get added to it. But I concur with the marketing and was wondering to go the route of founder led marketing which is catching traction right now.
@athaddeus Sent you a DM