YC
Communicate with Users, Build Something They Want - Ryan Hoover of Product Hunt
@ Y Combinator
10/05/17
Takeaways
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I was a non-technical founder, and I initially thought Y Combinator preferred technical founders, but I demonstrated traction with Product Hunt, showing that people wanted it.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
When you're a non-technical founder, demonstrating user data is crucial; it proves that people are using your product and validates its usefulness.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
You can validate ideas or build products without coding; for example, I started Product Hunt as an email list, which was a quick way to gauge interest.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Using tools like Typeform and Stripe, you can create a product and even collect payments without extensive coding, which is a great way to test market demand.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
We built Ship to help makers and startups announce new products, collect emails, and get feedback from users, which we've been doing for years with various tools.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
The more you communicate with your audience and involve them in the process, the higher your chances of building a product that people want.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Historically, Product Hunt didn't charge for anything, but we're now shifting towards monetization with Ship, our first paid product.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Podcasts didn't fit into Product Hunt's content ecosystem, so we decided to focus on product discovery instead, even though there's potential in podcast discovery.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Being in Y Combinator holds you accountable, similar to a school environment, where you have to report on your progress regularly, which is a healthy pressure to get things done.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
After Y Combinator, we raised a Series A and had to adapt our processes as we hired more people, which is an ongoing challenge as we grow. Building a distributed team wasn't intentional at first; it was a necessity to find engineers, which led to organic growth and advantages like hiring from anywhere in the world.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Having a distributed team allows us to hire globally, avoiding the high costs and competition for talent in San Francisco, which is beneficial for early-stage startups.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Our team is distributed across multiple time zones, which provides a global perspective and empathy towards our international user base.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I believe we'll see more remote teams and workers as technology makes it easier to collaborate through tools like Slack and Zoom.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
The initial audience for Product Hunt was built through years of writing and engaging with the tech community, which helped when launching the platform.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Press coverage and engaging with makers on Twitter were key tactics for growing Product Hunt's user base in the early days.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
We automated the process of inviting makers to join the conversation on Product Hunt, which significantly scaled our growth efforts.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
The number of upvotes on Product Hunt doesn't necessarily predict a product's long-term success; many successful startups take years to gain traction.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Building an audience before launching a product is crucial; it ensures that there are people ready to engage and provide feedback from the start.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Customer service is a valuable opportunity to engage with users, as it shows that people care enough to reach out for help.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I constantly feel overwhelmed by the amount of cool things that come through Y Combinator, which is just a tiny fraction of what's out there.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I love exploring new products every morning and seeing what people are making, but I don't try to see everything.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Our hope with Product Hunt is to cater to both types of users: those who want to consume everything and those who prefer just a few highlights each week.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
We offer weekly digests that summarize the most uploaded products of the week, making it easy for less engaged users to catch up.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
As a product manager, I learned that trying to do too much work myself can lead to frustration; it's important to give team members autonomy to excel in their roles.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
Managing people effectively is incredibly high leverage, often more impactful than being the best programmer.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I believe technology ultimately makes the world better, despite the downsides that can arise from startups and tech.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I think living in a virtual reality could be a good thing, as it allows people to escape difficult circumstances and build relationships in a better world.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
The future of technology will likely see more people living inside virtual environments, similar to how we already spend significant time on our devices.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I see blockchain and crypto as opportunities to create new experiences that can dramatically change people's behavior.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I enjoy going to concerts and seeing live music, which has become a significant part of my life over the past few years.
RH
Ryan Hoover
10/05/17
@ Y Combinator
I love my alone time, often going to Phil's coffee shop to catch up on work and enjoy my coffee.