Lecture 3 - Before the Startup (Paul Graham) 

hum...Great lecture

This video is gold. Those who are complaining about the speaker's attitude probably have no experience with a startup. He's the perfect speaker. No bullshit, no fluff. And the best part is that he keeps focused on what matters, rather than getting sidetracked by irrelevant theory. In the startup world, most people will WASTE YOUR TIME with abstract motivational fluff.

Counterintuitive points 1. 1:25 Startups are so weird, that if you follow your instincts, they will lead you astray (You can trust your instincts about people.) 2. 5:28 What you need to succeed in a startup, is not expertise in a startup. What you need is expertise in your own users. (Don't go through the motions of having a startup, focus only on making something people want) 3. 11:25 Starting a startup is where gaming the system stops working. 4. 14:30 Startups are all consuming. (Don't start a startup at college) 5. 21:50 Starting a startup is really hard, and you can't tell if you'll be any good at it! (It's unlikely you have any comparable experiences to indicate whether you'll be able to do it) 6. 24:35 The way to get startup ideas is not to try think of startup ideas. The way to come up with good startup ideas is to take a step back, turn your brain into the type of brain that has startup ideas unconsciously, so unconsciously that you don't even realize that they are startup ideas. How to turn your brain into the type that has startup ideas unconsciously; 1) learn a lot about things that matter 2) work on problems that interest you 3) with people you like and respect. The best way to prepare yourself for a startup is to gratify your interest in genuinely interesting problems. A good place to look for interesting problems is on the leading edge of technology. If you want to start a startup; what should you be doing now in college. You only need two things, an idea and cofounders. And the way you do this, is to follow Counterintuitive point #6. The component of entrepreneurship that really matters is domain expertise, see Counterintuitive point #2. The ultimate advice to young would be startup founders is; JUST LEARN.

there is a sense of purity (no showoff, no jargons, talk like average dude, be natural self) in Paul Graham!!

Isn't it so fascinating to think. A boy living in mountains of Nepal can hear Paul Graham lectures. wow boom 💥💥 💥 💥

Paul Gra-hum...

Anyone thinking of starting a startup should start with this video. They can save a lot of time.

PG is just a funny guy, smart, knowledgable and humble, I have enjoyed every minute of this lecture and all the other lectures, and I already watched them 6 times.

He's really funny and talking important things in the same time!

No BS, listen to him guys. I've been starting and trying startups for 6 years, he really knows the deal.

I’m the guy who always asked the dumb questions in class (and I didn’t go to Stanford), so I’ll keep that energy: “Why was it dumb for Facebook to incorporate as a Florida LLC?

I'll never afford a place like Stanford, seriously- thank you so much for access to these lessons!

He is so good. I absolutely love his dialogue delivery.

What a legend. Love his essays. Changed my life.

5:57 What you need to succeed in a startup is not expertise in a startup, what you need is an expertise in your own users. Mark Zuckerberg succeeded despite being a complete noob at startups, because he understood his users very well (customers, fans). 7:30 The one thing that’s actually essential is to make something people want. 11:28 Starting a startup is where gaming the system stops working. 18:18 What you need to know are the needs of your own users, and you can’t learn those until you actually start the company. 30:50 At it’s best, starting a startup is merely an ultimatum for curiosity. 33:00 What business school was designed for is to teach people management. And management is only a problem if you’re sufficiently successful. *So really what you need to know early on is developing products. So you’re much better off going to design school. But honestly the best way to start a startup is to just go out and start it. You might not be successful, but you’ll learn faster if you just do it.* Business schools were designed to train the officer Corp of large companies.

What a privilege and learning to watch a masterclass from the person in the world that know more about starting a startup. Thanks Paul!

What a hero. I feel a bit bad for the tech bubble guy that got an earful though - "DON'T ACT LIKE A REPORTER!!"

I love how the first 2 episodes were information packed with knowledge to build a foundation. And now there is elaborate explanation on those points to further understand what they're trying to say.

Wow. I'm gonna rewatch this slowly, pausing and taking notes. This is a great video!

Note how he reiterates every question that is asked to him. Its a very good habit esp as the person asking question may NOT have a microphone and then the recording only contains an ANSWER where there is no clue as to what the question was.

Straight to the Point. No filters. Brilliant. !!!

10 seconds in and I love how real the vibe is.

I love this guy, I feel like we'd really get along. I love when he was flustered with the kinds of questions being asked.

Great insight! enjoyed the rawness of the talk!

Thank for the valuable information and the wonderful humour Paul. :)

I don’t enjoy most business lectures mostly because they don’t accommodate the audience in non-developed countries. But this was so fun to watch. My own version of standup mixed with incredible insights.

Some people aren't aware about this, this is one of the great course i found on RU-vid ever 🔥

That Q and A was GOLD!

So true. Domain expertise is so important.

I have a dynamite idea and am in the process of building the idea and team. Sky's the limit. These lectures aren't the end-all-be-all but they are a great start. Thanks to Paul and the collective for providing this priceless information.

I love the way he delivered!

Thank you so much Paul! You answered my most disturbing questions. I'm a high school student who wanted to start a startup but now I see that the question is in what domain to work.

I love how dissapointed and deflated he sounds everytime he says Humm /Watching this in Thailand. Arrived with just a backpack. Now living in Chiang Mai, the #1 ranked Digital Nomad spot in the world.

Fantastic lecture. To the point. No BS

Major takeaway is to "learn" what you like, follow your passion and new ideas will spring on the way

Thank you a lot for this genuine lecture and sharing! Lots of essential knowledge unless then an hour

Absolutely brilliant lecture!

Brilliant Paul, as always

This is gold! Thank you...

The value of these lessons is insane

Love the content.. My only beef with these lectures (and many, many others) is that it seems that their metrics for success are limited to Apple, Google, and Mark Zuckerberg. Every example is based off of what Zuckerberg did or what Google did, etc. Give me some more real examples of Bob down the street that started a shipping company from nothing and turned it into a successful company. I don't know.. Just something I've noticed.

Every word i hear is so true. Nice lecture.

Real advice, perspective, and insight..Priceless.

Pure genius eloquence

Paul Graham makes the best lectures ever!

just love his lessons

Seemed a very sincere and kind advice. May I add greed-less advice, especially since many of the viewers/listeners would be aiming at Y-Combinator.

A lecture worth millions...

Amazing lecture. Thank you! 🙏

I just uploaded a video from Paul Graham's essays. Paul is truly an inspiration.

Thank you for the invaluable advice. Definitely will help in avoiding some mistakes at least I hope :)

Great lecture. I am going to start startup in next couple of years.

Great lecture!! This video is more precious than diamond.

Some questions at the end are looking for magic wand answers. Read the book , 'The Hard Thing about Hard Things', by Ben Horowitz. Some situations in business cannot be answered by simply looking at a flow-chart. Sometimes, you will have to find the answer to the problem as they come along. The same solution to that problem may not work at another start-up.There's no such thing as a 'catch all' solution for every problem.

I think I'm currently working on project that taking my full time. discussing with friends, family, communities!

Great lecture! Thanks!

25:56 How to make your mind, the kind of mind that generates start up ideas unconsciously: 1. Learn a lot about things that matter 2. Work on problems that interest you. 3. Work with people you like and respect.

Still relevant today! Love it

So good!

Question: what are your recurring systems in your work and personal life that make you efficient? Answer: having kids is a good way to be efficient; because you have no time left. So if you want to get anything done the amount of done you do per time is high. GOLDEN! 😅🔥 This lecture is awesome.

This is beautiful - currently going through this debate myself

hummm is the sound before accessing advanced intelligence.

I was going to stop watching this video because of the comments, however surprisingly I continued and could say that this was probably the most informational video I’ve ever watched.

This guy is a great investor!!!

I love to listen to this man, he cuts through the bullshit like no one else. He also gives me the confidence that I can start something of my own. Although I did think he was quite rude at 36:30.. But then the startup world is not for someone who gets hurt easily

Thank you, sir, today I got some wonderful knowledge .

That thing to stop thinking of ideas consciously is so true

He is one funny smart dude. Great Lecture. Thank you.

This guy is too good!

26:09 How to get startup ideas(and cofounders) unconsciously: 1. Learn things that matters. 2. Work on problems that matters to you. 3. With people you like and respect.

Excellent startup advice, this guy is spot on.... Funny the question around the 42:00 minute mark is exactly how I work. Either you're forced to work on something less interesting or it comes to you.

What a great guy!

U r the best Paul !

33:50 I guess I agree with this. I started my startup career right after college graduate, and I have doubted if I don't learn enough to run a business from work experience. Got my first successful startup after several attempts. (well, technically it's just small business in some sense and it's not that scalable like tech giants, but certainly did hire some 20 people to run the business) And I am glad to be lucky enough to have family support to let me do it. It's still fucking hard. It's kinda like you just have little idea on how to swim and you decide to jump into the ocean. If you don't wanna die, you will find a way to get shit done.

I like him. Such a smart person

Very good talk!

Funny how when PG goes 'hummmm...' it doesn't sound so much like he's nervous/puzzled/thinking internally as it does like he's out of breath. strange public speaking technique?

u changed my world

"Work with people you genuinely like and respect and who you have known for long enough that you are sure."

Great lecture

Paul Graham, the GOAT

I can summarized this talk with these words: "Grit, foolishness, and courage".

Great talk 👏

Amazing!

Great speech

I loved the talk, but why was Paul dressed as a country club coke dealer? I'm teasing of course. Paul is the best.

There is no reason Sam would want to tell if he had done it several times. Great timing on that joke. Hum. This by the way is perhaps the best resource on learning how's. Thanks

so good!

Nice one old is gold👍

Humm... thanks for the amazing lecture. Humm ♡

This one's really really good

Paul's such a good fella!!!

Enorme ! Amazing !

“If you work on things you like, you don’t have to force yourself to be efficient”

Great stuff here.

great job

This was funnier than most stand up comics ahaha, and I actually learned something!

Good content, to the point 👍

thank you so much. great vdo

I realize I made starting a startup sound kind of hard... If I haven't, let me try again - starting a startup is REALLY HARD. hahahaha