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MS

Michael Seibel

08/17/19

@ Y Combinator

First-time founders often make the mistake of solving problems they don't care about, which can lead to a loss of motivation and ultimately failure.

Video

YC

The Biggest Mistakes First-Time Founders Make - Michael Seibel

@ Y Combinator

The Biggest Mistakes First-Time Founders Make - Michael Seibel

08/17/19

Related Takeaways

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Y Combinator Cast

03/01/25

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Young founders often prioritize what investors want over solving problems they genuinely care about, which can hinder their potential.

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Jared Friedman

11/18/22

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The most common mistake founders make is building something that doesn't solve a real problem for users, often resulting in a solution in search of a problem.

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Paul Graham

03/19/17

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Young founders often go through the motions of starting a startup without focusing on the essential task of making something people want.

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Many founders work on the wrong thing before discovering the right one, often internalizing a fear of failure.

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Y Combinator Cast

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Founders often get distracted by coding and overbuilding instead of focusing on understanding the core problems their users face.

MS

Michael Seibel

08/17/19

@ Y Combinator

Founders often have no idea where their first users will come from, which is a critical oversight when choosing a problem to solve.

DC

Dalton Caldwell

04/18/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

Many founders mistakenly focus on complex growth strategies instead of simply getting their first customer and validating their idea.

DC

Dalton Caldwell

01/06/22

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In many startup teams, not all founders share the same level of passion for the problem they are solving, which can create challenges.

JF

Jared Friedman

11/18/22

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Founders often get stuck on tar pit ideas, which are common startup ideas that seem easy to solve but are actually very hard due to structural reasons, causing many founders to waste time on them.