Many successful founders funded by Y Combinator had little to no online presence in the early stages of their companies, and focusing too much on establishing thought leadership can distract from what truly matters: making your company work.

YC's approach to funding is non-traditional; we prioritize building relationships with founders over just focusing on returns.

Many hard tech founders mistakenly believe they need large amounts of funding upfront, but Y Combinator encourages them to think like software companies and find ways to progress with less money.

If you need to be convinced to start a VC-backed company, it's likely not the right path for you; the motivation should come from within, not external pressure.

YC emphasizes that being a solo founder is challenging. While it's generally better to have a co-founder, YC has accepted solo founders if they present unique insights and demonstrate competence.

As a repeat founder, I believe it's crucial to avoid raising money too early; focus on achieving strong product-market fit before seeking investment.

Successful founders focus on their product, customers, revenue, and team, rather than getting distracted by the noise in the startup ecosystem, such as fundraising news and social media chatter.

Many people mistakenly believe that traction or revenue is necessary to apply to Y Combinator, but that's not true; a significant portion of funded companies only have a founding team and an idea.

YC does fund solo founders, but it's significantly harder for them to succeed due to the limitations of one person managing all aspects of a startup.