Startups are very hard no matter what you do; you may as well go after a big opportunity. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
We've seen a lot of data at YC now, and the most successful companies and the ones where the investors do the… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Whatever the founder cares about, whatever the founders think are the key goals, that's going to be what the whole company focusses… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
If someone is choosing between joining McKinsey or your startup it's very unlikely they're going to work out at the startup. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Here's a good rule of thumb: don't worry about a competitor at all, until they're actually beating you with a real shipped… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
You only get points when you make something the market wants. So if you work really hard on the wrong things, no… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
The best founders work on things that seem small but they move really quickly. They get things done really quickly. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Most good founders that I know at any given time have a set of small overarching goals for the company that everybody… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
A lot of people treat choosing their cofounder with even less importance than they put on hiring. Don't do this. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Most startups are not nearly focussed enough. They work hard...maybe, but they don't work hard on the right things. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
If you look at successful pivots, they almost always are a pivot into something that the founder wanted. Not a random made… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
What being a founder means, is signing up for this years long grind on execution - and you can't outsource this. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Many of the best YC companies have had phenomenally small number of employees for their first year, sometimes none besides the founders. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
You want an idea that turns into a monopoly. But you can't get a monopoly, in a big market right away; too… — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
One thing I tell startups all the time is that the best way to grow is to make their product better. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
A winning team feels good and keeps winning. A team that hasn't won in a while gets demotivated and keeps losing. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
You're either not hiring at all or it's probably your single biggest block of time. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
The thing that kills startups at some level, is the founders giving up. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Execution gets divided into two key questions: 1) can you figure out what to do and 2) can you get it done. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
I prefer to invest in a company that's going after a small but rapidly growing market than a big but slow growing one. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
Startups are not the best choice for work-life balance, and that's sort of just the sad reality. — Sam Altman Copy Share Image
