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About

JL

Jessica Livingston

07/11/18

@ Y Combinator

It's okay not to have gone to an elite college; what matters is how users judge your product, not your credentials.

Video

YC

Jessica Livingston Shares 9 Things She Learned From Founding YC

@ Y Combinator

Jessica Livingston Shares 9 Things She Learned From Founding YC

07/11/18

Related Takeaways

JR

Jeremy Rossmann

06/20/19

@ Y Combinator

The perception that dropping out of elite schools guarantees success is misleading; in reality, very few successful founders are young college dropouts.

KM

Kathryn Minshew

06/20/14

@ Y Combinator

You cannot believe the hype; focus on your product and your users rather than comparing yourself to others' successes.

SA

Sam Altman

02/24/18

@ Y Combinator

Most things are not nearly as risky as they seem; if you're a college student with no money or reputation, failing at a startup is not as detrimental as it feels.

CB

Chris Bumstead

10/15/24

@ Chris Williamson

You don't need to be great; just being yourself is enough. The relationships and values you hold are more important than any accolades.

SH

Severin Hacker

05/19/25

@ 20VC with Harry Stebbings

In higher education, the value lies not just in instruction, but also in credentials and the social network formed during college.

MA

Marc Andreessen

12/15/24

@ Chris Williamson

Elon Musk emphasizes that the best products shouldn't need branding; their quality should be self-evident to consumers.

JL

Jeff Lawson

05/24/25

@ a16z speedrun

Reputation is the most important thing in Silicon Valley, not your idea or even if your current company worked.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

03/01/24

@ Y Combinator

It's essential for founders to use their own product and feel proud of it; if they can't, it raises questions about its value to others.

MS

Michael Seibel

05/18/19

@ Y Combinator

Many successful Y Combinator companies have been funded without having a prestigious tech company on their resumes, proving that it's not a requirement for becoming a successful startup founder.