Founders: launch your startup sooner than you think

Let go of your pop culture knowledge about launching products

If your goal with your launch is to learn, then you can't fail

Big ideas from YC partners as they explore why founders often delay launching, the importance of early launches, and strategies for overcoming launch anxiety. The conversation covers various aspects of launching, from dealing with rejection to learning from unsuccessful launches.

Key Takeaways:

The Fear of Launching

Many first-time founders are scared to launch their products due to fear of failure or criticism. They worry that nobody will use their product or that a poor launch will doom their startup. However, this fear is often unfounded and can be detrimental to a startup's progress.

Launching, even if imperfect, is crucial for gaining real-world feedback and learning from customers. The partners emphasize that most people don't remember or care about initial launches, and founders can always iterate and relaunch.

What's the worst case? Nobody sees you? Well, you launch again one week later. Everything's okay.

The Myth of the Perfect Launch

There's a widespread misconception, especially among founders who have worked at large tech companies, that launches need to be perfect and grandiose.

This "pop culture knowledge" often leads founders to delay launching in pursuit of perfection. The partners debunk this myth, pointing out that most successful companies had unmemorable initial launches. They stress that for startups, quick, imperfect launches are often more beneficial than delayed, polished ones.