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Back to Marrying young, getting rejected by YC, and getting canceled | SOTA S1E1, with Sarah Chieng & Vivian Midha Shen.

What Does Vivian Midha Shen Want in Y Combinator Founders?

Vivian Midha Shen says the founders are loved equally, and the right bones show up early. Some people rally investors, advisors, and customers. Others were groomed at Harvard, MIT, and Stanford to collect badges, and a Y Combinator acceptance is one more badge. The badge collectors follow instructions, spend too little time talking to users, avoid uncomfortable situations, shut down after a single no, or agree to everything and finish nothing.

Vivian Midha Shen looks for the opposite: time with users, a willingness to stay uncomfortable, and a person who can finish something. Being smart on paper is not the same as being able to get the work done.

Transcript

Marrying young, getting rejected by YC, and getting canceled | SOTA S1E1 ·

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  1. Did Marriage Shrink Sarah Chieng's Founder Ambition?Sarah Chieng says getting married changed the priorities.
  2. How Did Sarah Chieng Meet Tyler Before Brev Sold?Sarah Chieng got married at 25, while both people were still early and before a name or a payout existed.
  3. Why Was Sarah Chieng's Birthday Post Called Violence?Sarah Chieng marked turning twenty five with a birthday post recapping the year: growth on social media, work to be proud of, a marriage, and a delayed public…
  4. Why Did Sarah Chieng Choose School Over the Check?Sarah Chieng started a company at nineteen. The company was Thrift House, founded in college with a boyfriend who was also at MIT.
  5. What Happened at the Hayes Valley Meow Party?The first party in San Francisco was a block from the Commons in Hayes Valley, and the room was a cat party.

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