You only get points when you make something the market wants. So if you work really hard on the wrong things, no one will care.

Mediocre founders spend a lot of time talking about grand plans, but they never quite make a decision.

There are exceptions of course, but most companies start with a great idea - not a pivot.

We've seen a lot of data at YC now, and the most successful companies and the ones where the investors do the best... end up giving a lot of stock out to employees- year after year after year.

You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time.

You have to let your team get all the credit for all the good stuff that happens, and you take responsibility for the bad stuff.

One thing that often disrupts momentum and really shouldn't is competitors.