YC
Emmett Shear at Startup School SV 2014
@ Y Combinator
10/15/14
Takeaways
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
When we started, all we had was a determination not to give up, despite lacking the necessary skills for success in startups.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We built Kiko Calendar, which was essentially a Google Calendar clone, but we struggled to stay focused on it and often shifted to other projects.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
After selling Kiko Calendar on eBay for about $4 million, we realized we wanted to continue pursuing startups, despite not keeping all the money from the sale.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We brought on a friend from college, Michael, to be the CEO and keep us product-focused, as we were prone to distraction.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Our founding team, which included four members, surprisingly worked well together despite the general advice against having that many co-founders.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Launching our show garnered national attention, and we experienced significant growth, hitting 150,000 unique visitors in the first month.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We eventually opened the Justin TV platform to everyone, allowing anyone to broadcast live video, which was a shift back to our technological roots. We had a failed project and startup, but instead of giving up, we decided to repurpose our efforts and keep going.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Despite not having a good idea, we managed to raise money before launching the platform because people believed in us.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Even when we couldn't draw a salary for months, we were committed to our startup and would have kept going regardless.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We stumbled into something people really wanted, which led to growth, even though we initially didn't understand what was driving it.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
In 2008, with the market collapse, we realized we needed to start making money, so we focused on monetizing our site and cutting costs.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We faced a dilemma about the future of our company, considering opportunities in mobile video and gaming, and decided to set real goals for both projects.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We established two teams to pursue mobile video and gaming, with one team focusing on gaming led by me and Kevin Lynn, as we believed in its potential.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
I learned how to effectively talk to users, which is a crucial skill for startup founders, and realized that I hadn't truly understood this before launching Twitch.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We finally built products for our users after a long period of trial and error, which felt like we were bumbling around in the dark before finding our way. Achieving product-market fit feels like navigating through obstacles until you find the right path to success.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Building a startup involves a lot of trial and error, where you learn from failures and gradually get closer to your goals.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
The launch of Twitch TV was a culmination of six years of experience and learning from previous failures in startups.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
We didn't put in as much work for Twitch as we did for Justin TV, but we applied our efforts more effectively because we finally understood what we were doing.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
In the early stages of a startup, avoid business development deals as they can be distractions without a solid product.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
The startup journey is filled with excitement and pain, and it's essential to learn from each experience to eventually find success.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Generic startup advice often doesn't work because each startup has unique challenges and learning experiences.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Persistence is key in startups; even if your first idea fails, keep iterating and you will eventually find something that works.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
Taking care of your mental and physical health is crucial during the long and challenging journey of building a startup.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
It took us eight years to find success, which is normal in the startup world, and sometimes it can take even longer.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
After years of hard work, I still love what I do and want to continue building in the future, which is essential for long-term success.
ES
Emmett Shear
10/15/14
@ Y Combinator
The most important thing in startups is to stick with it and not give up, as persistence is the only way to succeed.