--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Having that kind of endorsement and…" description: "\"Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's readership coming to your site and contributing to it and building the foundation of the commu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg" --- # Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's… ![“Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's readership coming to your site and contributing to it and building the foundation of the community was just a really invaluable way to start Reddit.” quote by Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg) > “Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's readership coming to your site and contributing to it and building the foundation of the community was just a really invaluable way to start Reddit.” [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He credits early community endorsement and Paul Graham’s audience as crucial to Reddit’s foundation. **In simple terms:** Early support from influential readers helped Reddit grow. Key Takeaway Leverage early influencers to build community. Themes community building entrepreneurship networking Mood optimistic strategic Type business inspirational When to use this quote - startup launch - product beta - marketing campaign Key Concepts seed funding social proof platform growth Questions to Reflect On - Who can champion your project now? - How to sustain growth after early hype? A Different Perspective Relying on a single influencer can be risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Contributing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributing/) [Endorsement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endorsement/) [Endorsement Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endorsement-having-5646284/) [Endorsements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endorsements/) [Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foundation/) [Graham Readership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graham-readership-5646282/) [Invaluable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invaluable/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Endorsement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-endorsement-5646281/) [Readership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readership/) [Reddit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reddit/) [Site](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/site/) [Start Reddit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-reddit-5646283/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [ What one realizes there is that we are not in control of the \[reddit\] community, in any way, shape or form. We have no… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/what-one-realizes-there-is-that-we-are-not-in-control-of-the-reddit/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Facebook makes me hate the people I know, and Reddit makes me love the people I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/facebook-makes-me-hate-the-people-i-know-and-reddit-makes-me-love-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [If I were a snarky Reddit user though, I would say, hypothetically, that that would just be like reading Reddit's Front Page a day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/if-i-were-a-snarky-reddit-user-though-i-would-say-hypothetically-that/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I guess if you include contractors that are six or seven people working on reddit, but when we got acquired there were basically three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-guess-if-you-include-contractors-that-are-six-or-seven-people/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [The weird thing about reddit is that, for a community its size - now I'm no longer at reddit, but the public traffic numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/the-weird-thing-about-reddit-is-that-for-a-community-its-size-now-i-m/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [The best part of being an angel investor is seeing these kids coming up with companies that get way more traffic than Reddit had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/the-best-part-of-being-an-angel-investor-is-seeing-these-kids-coming/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [If you do a joke that's really old, then what happens is people on Reddit and Twitter just go, 'Real original, you're just doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/if-you-do-a-joke-that-s-really-old-then-what-happens-is-people-on/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I am not on tumblr. I can barely spell tumblr. However, there does seem to be someone on tumblr (who copied my reddit user…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-collins/i-am-not-on-tumblr-i-can-barely-spell-tumblr-however-there-does-seem/) [Misha Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-collins/) > [Reddit strives to be a community-oriented link-sharing and news site, which means that all our content is submitted and voted on by members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yishan-wong/reddit-strives-to-be-a-community-oriented-link-sharing-and-news-site/) [Yishan Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yishan-wong/) > [I'm all for experimenting with sortition - randomly selected representative bodies of citizens. But I don't favor direct democracy. We're busy. We have lives.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/i-m-all-for-experimenting-with-sortition-randomly-selected/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [It's tempting to just write a comic called 'Everyone Mail Randall Munroe Twenty Bucks' - maybe it would work, and I could just close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-munroe/it-s-tempting-to-just-write-a-comic-called-everyone-mail-randall/) [Randall Munroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-munroe/) > [I think that's one of the most unique and potentially powerful things about reddit - people come for the news, and stay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yishan-wong/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-most-unique-and-potentially-powerful-things/) [Yishan Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yishan-wong/) > [If I use Facebook to stay in touch with my high school friends who are church-going Republicans, I may be getting more ideological diversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/if-i-use-facebook-to-stay-in-touch-with-my-high-school-friends-who/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [Reddit names are unconnected to real-world identities and it's commonplace for users to create 'throwaway' accounts to reveal sensitive information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/reddit-names-are-unconnected-to-real-world-identities-and-it-s/) [Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/) > [I'm not looking to step in and make 'big, bold changes' - I think reddit is great, and the team has a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yishan-wong/i-m-not-looking-to-step-in-and-make-big-bold-changes-i-think-reddit/) [Yishan Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yishan-wong/) ## More by Alexis Ohanian > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Everything is derivative. Everything is a remix, and we all stand on the shoulders of giants - a great phrase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/everything-is-derivative-everything-is-a-remix-and-we-all-stand-on/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Let's say you're all worried about student-loan debt and you need to have steady income. That doesn't have to be your everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/let-s-say-you-re-all-worried-about-student-loan-debt-and-you-need-to/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I'm probably the worst Silicon Valley insider ever. I don't hang out with Silicon Valley people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-m-probably-the-worst-silicon-valley-insider-ever-i-don-t-hang-out/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Every founder has to delude themselves into thinking, "Yes, it's going to be big. It's going to take over the world."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/every-founder-has-to-delude-themselves-into-thinking-yes-it-s-going/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Love making jewelry? Awesome! Find blogs that inspire you, follow people on social media who have great taste, start an Etsy store, and borrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/love-making-jewelry-awesome-find-blogs-that-inspire-you-follow-people/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Hundreds of these companies I've seen since the beginning stages - including Dropbox and Airbnb - one of them has actually been crushed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/hundreds-of-these-companies-i-ve-seen-since-the-beginning-stages/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Until we actually get legislation that protects our rights online, we will continue to fight against stupid, lobbyist-bought legislation. We want bills that protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/until-we-actually-get-legislation-that-protects-our-rights-online-we/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I often think of a quote from entrepreneur Jim Rohn: 'You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-often-think-of-a-quote-from-entrepreneur-jim-rohn-you-are-the/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Because it's so empowering, I want people to think about being entrepreneurial regardless. They don't have to start companies, but that's what makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/because-it-s-so-empowering-i-want-people-to-think-about-being/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [People want a remarkable experience; it's what they'll talk about, largely because the bar has been set so low by so many companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/people-want-a-remarkable-experience-it-s-what-they-ll-talk-about/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [My entire career has been built on the understanding that I am not only not the smartest person in the room, I am definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/my-entire-career-has-been-built-on-the-understanding-that-i-am-not/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [If I didn't believe in rooting for founders and investing in founders, I'd be a bit of a hypocrite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/if-i-didn-t-believe-in-rooting-for-founders-and-investing-in-founders/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I try to help founders as much as I can, but so many of us we won't even take meetings with people who still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-try-to-help-founders-as-much-as-i-can-but-so-many-of-us-we-won-t/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [The first version of everything is janky,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/the-first-version-of-everything-is-janky/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) [Explore all 113 Alexis Ohanian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's readership coming to your site and contributing to it and building the foundation of the community was just a really invaluable way to start Reddit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexis Ohanian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-having-paul-graham-s-readership/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-having-paul-graham-s-readership/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b4/alexis-ohanian-4303_building_having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-havi_717733.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Having that kind of endorsement and having Paul Graham's readership coming to your site and contributing to…” — Alexis Ohanian", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexis Ohanian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Having that kind of endorsement and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-having-paul-graham-s-readership/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/having-that-kind-of-endorsement-and-having-paul-graham-s-readership/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```