YC interviews act as a negotiation where the initial impression significantly influences the perception of an idea's value. Founders often leave the interview realizing their ideas are more valuable than initially thought, highlighting the effectiveness of a brief interaction. The first 10 minutes serve as a practical introduction to collaboration, demonstrating the dynamics of working together. Research suggests that the opportunity for changing one's mind diminishes after the first few minutes; thus, the value derived from the first two minutes is substantial. The time spent in interviews could potentially be reduced from 10 minutes to seven without losing effectiveness, showcasing the minimal required interaction for meaningful assessment.
Tyler and Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham sat down at his home in the English countryside to discuss what areas of talent judgment his co-founder and wife Jessica Livingston is better at, whether young founders have gotten rarer, whether he still takes a dim view of solo founders, how to 2x ambition in the developed world, on the minute past which a Y Combinator interviewer is unlikely to change their mind, what YC learned after rejecting companies, how he got over his fear of flying, Florentine history, why almost all good artists are underrated, what's gone wrong in art, why new homes and neighborhoods are ugly, why he wants to visit the Dark Ages, why he's optimistic about Britain and San Fransisco, the challenges of regulating AI, whether we're underinvesting in high-cost interruption activities, walking, soundproofing, fame, and more.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links.
Recorded July 15th, 2023.
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Photo credit: Dave Thomas