Fleek, a marketplace for secondhand clothing, started with just three people and no website, demonstrating the importance of taking unscalable actions to launch their business. The founders would go to wholesalers in London, pick a box of clothes, and sell them to shops around the city, earning $6,000 repeatedly. This hands-on approach helped them understand the market better than building a website would have.

At Wufoo, we aimed to create a product that people wanted to love and have a relationship with, rather than just a tool that reminded them of working in a cubicle.

TOMS Shoes built its brand by selling shoes while giving a pair to someone in need, creating a sense of involvement in a larger movement.

Blavity aims to create products and experiences that celebrate black people, addressing the unique challenges faced by black individuals and people of color that the industry often ignores.

In 2015, we initially focused on hyperlocal fashion, but learned that fulfillment is crucial, leading us to pivot towards a marketplace model that better serves small shop owners.

In the early days of Wufoo, we focused on creating a great customer experience by ensuring that everyone in the company was passionate and involved in customer support, which helped maintain our culture and efficiency.

At Front, we ensure that everyone understands our goals and how their work contributes to achieving them, which fosters a sense of purpose.

The culture at Lululemon was built on setting goals based on the present rather than the future, which kept our team motivated and aligned.

Y Combinator's unique culture is characterized by a focus on building a community of builders who feel they belong, regardless of their backgrounds.