[ploggingdev]

Since the guide is partly focused on the YC application process, I have one thought (potentially misconception) that I would like others to weigh in on. For context : I'm working on a Disqus alternative with a focus on privacy, so no ads, no tracking scripts ( https://www.indiehackers.com/@ploggingdev/building-my-first-... ). I started working on it a little over two weeks ago and am a few days away from launching. So by the application deadline, I would have only onboarded beta users. Being a single founder who has been working on a product for less than 3 weeks, even if I follow all the advice and craft a well written YC application, I just don't see why YC would consider funding me instead of the numerous other applicants with serious revenue and something that might resemble product-market fit. In other words, I think when talking about crafting a YC application, it's important to discuss that there exists a certain baseline above which such guides really make sense. Sure, I could apply the actionable advice to my application, but will it move the needle at all when I'm a single founder with an MVP? On the other hand the only impressive part about the application might be that I built it in under 3 weeks and onboarded beta users. Thoughts?

[wjossey]

I wouldn't jump to say that your story is exactly limiting in terms of why you should or should not apply. If you had launched your product with beta customers, but they were in fact all paying, I'd say that time frame actually makes you even more interesting, not less. Much of the "magic" that happens in technology occurs over remarkably short periods of time when you look at "when the work happens". But, in reality, I'm assuming you've been noodling on the Disqus alternative for a long while, and you just felt comfortable now putting down pen to paper.

The bigger concern I would have with applying to YC in your case is the existential question, "Should I take VC money or not?" What I don't see above is an understanding of the why behind financing. How will financing accelerate your business? If I give you $1M, what will you do that makes it worth $10M in X timeframe? While not necessarily a deal breaker for a lot of seed funds, I think anytime one is looking at taking on multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars of investment, they should have some basic answer to that question.

[ploggingdev]

> The bigger concern I would have with applying to YC in your case is the existential question, "Should I take VC money or not?" What I don't see above is an understanding of the why behind financing. How will financing accelerate your business?

So it goes back to my earlier point about a baseline for getting accepted which my application would not cut since I don't have hard data to show CAC, LTV and other relevant metrics. It's certainly not set in stone as a small number of very early stage companies do get accepted, but in general products have to be much further along to have a serious chance of acceptance, or at least that's the impression I get.

[briandear]

We need your product: email me at [e-mail]

Your solving a big problem: having commenting that protects user privacy. We are happy to pay if the product works in our use case.

Totally off the parent topic, but you do seem to be building something that is incredibly useful, at least for us.

[pchristensen]

This is a great example of a company with a "hair on fire" problem that needs a solution - his first words are "We need your product" and a solicitation to a custom email address. And this is based on a one sentence description and a link to a blog post.

This is the kind of reaction you want to see in your customers.

[ploggingdev]

Email sent!