Matt Huang

It was a real moment for me because I then was obsessed with figuring out what's the chain of thought that would cause someone competent to choose that. That brought me to discovering Paul Graham's essays and Y Combinator and learning about the entire Silicon Valley ecosystem.

It was a real moment for me because I then was obsessed with figuring out what's the chain of thought that would cause someone competent to choose that. That brought me to discovering Paul Graham's essays and Y Combinator and learning about the entire Silicon Valley ecosystem.

Well, talk about an act of extreme leverage. Paul Graham wrote some words on a website and I think shifted the world in a dramatic way, opened up the universe to teach nerds how to build companies. Big stuff. And in a prior world where they'd be completely beholden to the MBA CEO. So I think that's just a generally interesting theme.

Well, talk about an act of extreme leverage. Paul Graham wrote some words on a website and I think shifted the world in a dramatic way, opened up the universe to teach nerds how to build companies. Big stuff. And in a prior world where they'd be completely beholden to the MBA CEO. So I think that's just a generally interesting theme.

But yeah, for me, it was very impactful because the meta takeaway was very much one of agency. I was in a headspace of going to MIT. My parents want me to do a Ph.D., I have to think about what I want to study and which places to apply to, like what's the thing you should do during the summer to start making research contributions towards that.

But yeah, for me, it was very impactful because the meta takeaway was very much one of agency. I was in a headspace of going to MIT. My parents want me to do a Ph.D., I have to think about what I want to study and which places to apply to, like what's the thing you should do during the summer to start making research contributions towards that.

Not even clear that's the thing I should be optimizing for. And I think one thing that was very liberating about reading PG was the sense that You don't have to ask for permission from other people because that's what all the PhD programs are. You can actually figure out what you want to do and just go do it. There's this popular meme now, like you can just go do things.

Not even clear that's the thing I should be optimizing for. And I think one thing that was very liberating about reading PG was the sense that You don't have to ask for permission from other people because that's what all the PhD programs are. You can actually figure out what you want to do and just go do it. There's this popular meme now, like you can just go do things.

And I think it's a platitude. I think there's deep truth to it. I found it extremely enlightening and it reshaped my worldview of what I wanted to do. I was a math major doing applied math. I had learned to make websites growing up and messed around with Photoshop. A lot of kids did that, but I didn't really learn how to code or the principles of computer science.

And I think it's a platitude. I think there's deep truth to it. I found it extremely enlightening and it reshaped my worldview of what I wanted to do. I was a math major doing applied math. I had learned to make websites growing up and messed around with Photoshop. A lot of kids did that, but I didn't really learn how to code or the principles of computer science.

Immediately at that time, I basically pivoted to a lot of the CS courses actually counted for the math major. So from there, just started to learn everything about how one would build things. And then with my roommates, started working on things that eventually led to the startup.

Immediately at that time, I basically pivoted to a lot of the CS courses actually counted for the math major. So from there, just started to learn everything about how one would build things. And then with my roommates, started working on things that eventually led to the startup.

We applied to YC twice. And the first time we didn't get in, I just think I remember flying out to California for the interview. And we interviewed with PG. And when he called us that evening, maybe they still do this, like it's the same day. And he's like, we love you guys. We couldn't hate your idea more. Can you come by again? Let's brainstorm.

We applied to YC twice. And the first time we didn't get in, I just think I remember flying out to California for the interview. And we interviewed with PG. And when he called us that evening, maybe they still do this, like it's the same day. And he's like, we love you guys. We couldn't hate your idea more. Can you come by again? Let's brainstorm.

Let's try to figure out something for you guys to do. And we did that and still couldn't come up with something they were excited about. And then I think a week later, he released an essay, something to the effect of like why young people have bad ideas. You're inspiring. Right, exactly. So I do think we were falling down all the obvious traps of young people. You overrate your own problems.

Let's try to figure out something for you guys to do. And we did that and still couldn't come up with something they were excited about. And then I think a week later, he released an essay, something to the effect of like why young people have bad ideas. You're inspiring. Right, exactly. So I do think we were falling down all the obvious traps of young people. You overrate your own problems.

A lot of young people are attracted to like the problems they have in college, but college students aren't very representative of the average consumer. So anyway, from there, six months later, we had continued to build and hack on things. And eventually, the next batch, we already had a prototype with users. And it was still a terrible idea, by the way.

A lot of young people are attracted to like the problems they have in college, but college students aren't very representative of the average consumer. So anyway, from there, six months later, we had continued to build and hack on things. And eventually, the next batch, we already had a prototype with users. And it was still a terrible idea, by the way.

But if you remember back to that period of time, this was when streaming content was coming online for the first time. So like Netflix and Hulu, this was 2010. And so we were building a TV guide website for that era. I think in hindsight, it's just not a good idea. business and very concentrated.

But if you remember back to that period of time, this was when streaming content was coming online for the first time. So like Netflix and Hulu, this was 2010. And so we were building a TV guide website for that era. I think in hindsight, it's just not a good idea. business and very concentrated.