The first users of Stripe were mostly from the Y Combinator community or friends of those who had gone through YC, which helped us gain traction.

Getting into Y Combinator was a turning point for us, as it validated our idea and pushed us to fully commit to the startup.

We were accepted into Y Combinator, which was a significant milestone for us and changed the course of our company.

The first time we went through Y Combinator (YC), we wouldn't have made it without their support, and I felt the same way the second time.

The Y Combinator experience was invaluable; the community of motivated individuals and guidance from partners like Paul Graham helped us stay on course and saved us years of effort.

We were initially hesitant to apply to Y Combinator, but an advisor encouraged us to go for it, leading to an unexpected interview and acceptance.

Joining Y Combinator turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made, especially as we faced severe financial challenges before receiving their support. Starting and running a company as a founder can be a very lonely experience, where you often feel responsible for everyone's future and only you know the reality of the low times.

Having the support of the Y Combinator community is invaluable, as it connects you with other founders willing to collaborate and help each other out.

Our first customer was a VC who ended up investing in us, and being part of Y Combinator helped us get meetings with many interested VCs.