Listen "$9M at 17: Why He Quit College for Y Combinator!"
Episode Synopsis
Discover startup founder tips from Calvin Chen, founder of Fetchr (Y Combinator startup), on Unfair Edge! Learn how to start a company with practical entrepreneurship advice from a founder who sold his first startup for $9M in high school and dropped out of USC to join Y Combinator. In this episode, Calvin shares founder stories, including his journey from Rent-a-Fit to Kopia to Fetchr, revealing startup growth strategies, how to raise venture capital, and how to find a co-founder, among other things! Key Takeaways from this Episode:1. How Calvin pivoted multiple startups to find the right idea2. Strategies for acquiring early users through non-scalable tactics3. The importance of ruthless focus and user-centric decisions4. Tips for applying to Y Combinator and navigating co-founder dynamicsSubscribe for weekly startup founder stories and entrepreneurship advice!Calvin Chen: https://x.com/CalvinnChennFetchr: https://www.fetchr.so/Chapters:00:00 - Welcome & Calvin Chen intro00:45 - Building & exiting a business for $9M (in high school)04:32 - Launching Rent-a-Fit while at USC06:40 - How to recognize if your company has long-term potential or just short-term success08:44 - Pre-seed hustle: Raising from friends & family and running a startup from your dorm12:33 - Why less capital can be an advantage14:42 - How to balance starting a company while also in college; knowing when to shut it down or go all in18:34 - How Calvin pivoted from investment banking to join Y-Combinator, and how he got selected22:39 - Tips for applying to YC23:53 - Peeling back the “orange” curtain; an inside-look at YC30:43 - Pivoting to Kopia36:56 - Learnings from pivoting; how continuous action produces compounding effects42:00 - How to find the right co-founder (or whether you need a co-founder at all)44:59 - Practical strategies for acquiring users; “do things that don’t scale”50:50 - Why ruthless focus separates the winners and losers; prioritizing the right marketing channels56:06 - Deep user obsession: personal calls, delivery runs & feedback loops59:17 - Parting advice for early founders
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