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Atmrix

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YC

Y Combinator Cast

10/15/14

@ Y Combinator

Ron Conway believes that entrepreneurs are born with certain traits that make them successful, such as a strong work ethic, ambition, aggression, and toughness.

Video

YC

Ron Conway at Startup School SV 2014

@ Y Combinator

10/15/14

Related Takeaways

AC

Adora Cheung

07/31/14

@ Y Combinator

Many successful entrepreneurs attribute their success to luck, but I believe that hard work and determination are what truly lead to success, not just fortunate circumstances.

C(

Chungin (Roy) Lee

05/18/25

@ EO

Confidence is key in entrepreneurship. Many successful founders are not necessarily smarter but are willing to take risks and work harder than others.

JL

Joshua Lu

05/12/25

@ a16z speedrun

The most timeless qualities for entrepreneurs are resilience, passion, and the ability to lead through ambiguity, especially during challenging times.

AN

Adam Neumann

06/13/25

@ a16z

I believe that the ability to overcome profound challenges in the past is a strong indicator of future success for entrepreneurs.

TC

Theodoric Chew

04/21/25

@ EO

Having a huge amount of ambition and a good amount of naivety helps entrepreneurs get started; that dreamer within you enables bolder actions that others might avoid.

SA

Sam Altman

08/30/18

@ Y Combinator

Traits of successful founders include frugality, focus, obsession, and love for their work, which are critical for startup success.

JL

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

I seek founders who are relentlessly resourceful, as this trait is crucial for overcoming challenges in the startup journey.

HT

Harj Taggar

11/02/22

@ Y Combinator

Many successful founders come from diverse backgrounds and possess different strengths, not just the stereotypical traits of brilliant programmers or charismatic leaders.

JK

Justin Kan Cast

05/27/21

@ Justin Kan

The most effective entrepreneurs are those who are intrinsically motivated and believe they are doing good, which can lead to defeating those who are purely profit-driven.