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Ben Silbermann

10/25/13

@ Y Combinator

We learned a lesson from doing the iPhone app: even though we had all these ideas of great features, we weren't great at one thing; there wasn't one thing that was special about it.

Video

Ben Silbermann at Startup School 2012

@ Y Combinator

Ben Silbermann at Startup School 2012

10/25/13

Related Takeaways

David Lieb

12/19/24

@ Y Combinator

We realized that the existing photos app on the iPhone wasn't very good, and if we designed it, we could make it much better.

Cindy Mi

01/17/19

@ Y Combinator

We learned that building too much technology too quickly can be a mistake; it's essential to focus on what's most needed and to iterate based on user feedback.

Hosain Rahman

10/15/14

@ Y Combinator

After launching our first consumer product, we realized we had compromised on key design elements, which ultimately led to its poor performance in the market.

Hosain Rahman

10/15/14

@ Y Combinator

We learned that many innovative ideas from 1999 were ahead of their time, and it was crucial to stay the course and believe in the potential of mobile technology.

Jony Ive

10/17/14

@ Vanity Fair

Touch technology was a significant challenge, and there were many moments when we nearly gave up on it, but it ultimately became a defining feature of our products.

Avni Patel Thompson

01/31/19

@ Y Combinator

As founders, we often have amazing ideas and plans, but when things don't work out, it doesn't mean we failed; it just means the outcome was different than expected.

Brian Chesky

12/01/15

@ Greylock

We learned that many great ideas often sound ridiculous at first, and that solving a personal problem can lead to a successful business.

Eric Migicovsky

10/15/14

@ Y Combinator

We designed Pebble by incorporating feedback from our first product, ensuring it worked with iPhones and included features that users wanted.

Sam Altman

11/09/24

@ Y Combinator

We focused on one approach rather than spreading our resources too thin, which is a key takeaway for startups.