Leonidas

We should have a section to list demos that are up or going to be up so that we can support one another.

Maybe someone can put up something that the audience on here can go on and evaluate what everyone is doing. Perhaps make it 'invite' only to avoid trolls.

The rejection from Y did hurt for a few minutes but then it is actually a blessing. It helped our team to re-evaluate ourselves. Our background is in medicine. We lack the technology part yet understand the 'gaps' in medicine that technology is needed. It's like Steve Case and his dive into medicine with revolutionhealth.

Anyways, going to give it a go for another program but this time using our strength - medicine. Any hacker out there want to give it a shot with us in the other program application, we have some great ideas that combines the internet, medicine, health insurance etc. Tired of hiring programmers, we need a real partner who can program since my programming ability is still newbish.

Give me an e-mail ;)

Congrats to you guys!

How totally exciting. I think I'm going to get blisters from constantly refreshing

For those of you who are still in school, especially in graduate school and want to obtain free law advice..I would suggest you go to the law school.

Most law schools will provide their students free advice about everything and will help you as long as you're a student. At my school, they will help you do paper work and find proper paper work to fit your needs. Granted you will be working with 3rd year law students, those 3rd year law students are managed by the law professors. Besides, it will give you an excuse to network with some lawyers. It's always a good thing to know good lawyers.

Call the law school up or email them to see if they have a program like that for students. You have to pump your resources to the maximus while you're a student because once you graduate, advice costs.

Cheerios

My next invention would entail reducing medication errors. Current available applications are developed by hackers who make it too difficult for non-hacker healthcare professionals to understand how to use. In addition, the logical layout of lab values, prescriptions and so forth is not optimized for decreased error. To have hospitals pay 40-60 million a year to license an ineffective, flawed, application is ridiculous. I've been in one of the most advanced hospitals in the United States and my gawd, they still use a "DOS" system like interface ...wth...60 million a year for that?

Personally, my error medication invention will be a contribution I'd like to make to patients and to my profession. You don't get second chances when you deal with patients.. a first error can kill.

Mukund explained what I was trying to say much better.

Learning the code will allow you to better understand and communicate with your programmer. Besides, if there are minor things like registration problems or design issues, you can do it yourself as opposed to bugging the programmer who is handling the major programming parts. Can you imagine the 'business' co-founder bugging the hell out of the programmer to take ONE word out of a category title while the programmer is trying to go through hundreds of lines to fix a major bug that is much more important than a category title?

I know everyone keeps saying "Wozniak needs a Jobs" and vice versa ...but in 'Wozniak' I bet there was a little 'Jobs' and in "Jobs" there was a little 'Wozniak'. Otherwise, there would be no way in hell they would have gotten along and worked together successfully.

I suggest that you start teaching yourself to code while you wait for a wozniak. You need to know your program inside out and the best way is to learn code to assist your programmer to do minor tasks.

For doctor office visits - they make sure you can pay before you see him. If you list that you do not have insurance, the nurse or secretary to will tell you how much it will be without insurance to verify that you can pay the cost. If you go to a "doctor's office" he has the right to deny you services if you can't pay (only for non-emergency incidences). However, if you are in an extreme emergency such as a heart attack or you're dying, he cannot refuse you his services due to the hippocratic oath.

However, doctors in hospitals are different. If you go to the ER (hospital related) the hospital doctor is REQUIRED to see you by US law...without verification of ability to pay. For doctors in hospitals, this is a big problem because we cater to a lot of homeless patients who walk out and do not pay...and of course one can't do anything about it since they're homeless.

Anywhoo, if you get treated in a HOSPITAL, always request an ITEMIZED list of charges. Anything that says "misc fees" you need to be weary off. Check for overcharges and outrageous charges. For instance, do you want to pay $170 for a "mucous recovery system" (BOX OF KLEENEX). Sometimes it's a "mistake" but sometimes there are unethical hospitals. Save yourself and your startup some money.

Cheerios.

I think it may depend on the type of startup. If I was a "dating" related startup, I'd want to be in NYC. NYC is very huge on the "dating" scene. Heck, they have speed dating there where the guy has to make at least over half a million dollars a year and the girls have to be 'hot' to attend the speed dating session. Tickets cost $500 per person and the speed dating sessions are always sold out.

Actually, health insurance is an important factor. If you catch pneumonia or the flu, you're looking at getting knocked out for 2 months (pneumonia resulting from a "cold" that was not properly handled), 2 weeks (flu) without medical intervention. Personally, I'd rather take some meds and be back on my feet in 3-5 days than not be able to afford to see a doc or take some meds....putting my startup behind which would kill me more than an illness. Without insurance you're looking at least $110 for per doctor visit and about $90 bucks and up depending on what meds you need (PER prescription). Or let's say you broke your arm or leg because you tripped on your shoe laces while walking down the stairs of the Y Combinator building. Without insurance you're looking at about $2500 and up to get it fixed and that doesn't include the cost of seeing a doctor added into it.

Paying $120 bucks a month to cover potential injuries or finding affordable medical insurance and covering yourself for potential injuries is a definitely an important factor not only for yourself, your company, but also to prevent you from getting your co-founders sick.

It is true that if you're younger you are less likely to get sick. However, if you are under a substantial amount of stress, your immune defense will drop and your chances of getting sick increases. That's why you see a lot of people get sick during mid terms and exams.

So for all of you who are in a startup, I suggest you get at least 1000-2000mg of Vitamin C. Clinical trials have shown that taking 1000-2000mg (usually an 8oz glass of OJ, depending on type of OJ) of Vitamin C a day provides prophylactic use (prevents the occurrence) against acute stress induced illnesses.

I'd have to say that currently Y is considered a "brand" now with Mike constantly mentioning the companies on his blog, Y with a strong community, and PG was the first to introduce this concept.

However,if an entrepreneur had the honor of being accepted into either Techstars or Y Combinator, I'm sure he/she would work their butt off not only for themselves but to represent the program he/she is in. Multiple players foster a very healthy competition.

We'll just have to wait and see which program selects the better "animal" entrepreneurs for this round. The success of a startup involves not only the people heading it, but a large part depends on the entrepreneur themselves and the ability to implement or create something useful. How very exciting!

Y Combinator would be the ideal place to meet other people like yourself who is passionate,have energy, and will provide you with feedback, which is a really difficult thing to find. It's like having a constant adrenaline rush.

The chance, the opportunity to work on your passion and project FULL TIME, how cool is that?

Great article adam

Thanks for the post. I've always enjoyed reading other entrepreneur's viewpoint on things. A lot of people have doubted POF's success but why focus on whether you think his strategy is working? I'd rather focus on what he's doing right, what his users like and what they don't.

Quite fascinating artile. Thanks Staunch.

I admire your friend's dedication to his gf and you being a great friend in understanding. However, you have to consider this: you're just starting out now..once your startup is in its later phases, you will be MUCH busier. If the gf can't understand now, would she understand later?

The gf 'issue' shouldn't be an 'issue' at all

Nice story. I like how the Y Team talks over the ideas and propose improvements to you. Seems like a really good environment to be in, everyone with energy and ideas feeding off of other's people energy and ideas.

Maybe the outsiders can add value to what your team lacks.

I would say list them because it shows your team's ability to innovate. Besides, if Y doesn't like the one you submitted, they might like the other ones.

Cheers