Tools

Explore

Videos Channels Figures

Atmrix

Tools

Explore

Videos Channels Figures

Atmrix

JL

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

To build social radar skills, pay attention to subtle cues during founder evaluations, such as their ability to articulate their product and their defensiveness.

Video

The social radar: Y Combinator’s secret weapon | Jessica Livingston (co-founder of YC, author)

@ Lenny's Podcast

The social radar: Y Combinator’s secret weapon | Jessica Livingston (co-founder of YC, author)

06/27/24

Related Takeaways

Paul Buchheit

03/07/18

@ Y Combinator

The founders are critical to a startup's success; I evaluate them based on their communication skills and depth of understanding.

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

Being defensive during interviews is a red flag for founders; the best founders engage openly and are willing to learn from feedback.

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

In the early days of YC, I observed social cues during interviews, such as how well co-founders got along and their level of commitment.

Jessica Livingston

07/11/18

@ Y Combinator

I was nicknamed the 'social radar' by my YC co-founders because I could sense when something was off or out of character, always trying to figure things out based on subtle social cues.

Y Combinator Cast

03/09/18

@ Y Combinator

Great investors develop intuition to judge people and founders, and they advise founders to be honest and direct.

Dalton Caldwell

07/12/19

@ Y Combinator

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.

Jessica Livingston

06/27/24

@ Lenny's Podcast

I was fascinated by founder psychology and the dynamics of their relationships, which influenced my evaluations during interviews.

Geoff Ralston

02/07/18

@ Y Combinator

When assessing a startup, I look for the founder's passion and resilience, as these traits are crucial for overcoming challenges in building a company.

Y Combinator Cast

05/31/24

@ Y Combinator

As a founder, you need to sell yourself, especially when your product is still in development. Making potential customers feel valued and showing your commitment to their success can lead to stronger relationships.