YC
Secrets You Can Learn From Your Customers
@ Y Combinator
04/29/23
Takeaways
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
The fastest way to learn about your customers' problems and how to solve them is to genuinely care about them and spend time with them.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Airbnb helped their hosts improve their property photos, even at a loss, because they empathized with their users' needs and built trust through genuine care.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
When founders genuinely care about their users, they create opportunities for deeper insights that wouldn't arise from casual interactions.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Successful founders remember the names and stories of their first customers, emphasizing the importance of personal connections over impersonal marketing tactics.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Brex pivoted from a VR headset idea to understanding the needs of other founders, which led them to develop a product that addressed real customer pain points.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Brex's founders spent time with potential customers to understand their complexities, allowing them to quickly ship a relevant product.
MS
Michael Seibel
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Founders who have experienced the challenges their customers face can create better solutions than those who haven't, as they can empathize with the user's perspective.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
When you're competing with nothing, your product doesn't need to be amazing to start; it just needs to care more than the big companies that don't care at all.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
The founders of successful startups often have genuine relationships with their customers, knowing their stories and customizing their services based on that understanding.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
At Justin.tv, the relationship with users improved significantly when the founders started talking directly to streamers, asking them what they needed instead of relying on surveys or reports.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
The core learning from Twitch was that if they could help streamers make money, those streamers would create content that millions wanted to watch.
YC
Y Combinator Cast
04/29/23
@ Y Combinator
Caring about your customers and spending time with them one-on-one can accelerate your learning and provide valuable insights into their problems and how to solve them.