How to Start a Startup

Paul Graham's 2005 essay argues that a startup needs three things: good people, something customers actually want, and spending as little as possible. You will be able to judge co-founders, test a version 1 with users, raise seed money wisely, and keep costs low.

5 sections ยท 12 lessons

Course outline

Ideas and People

  1. Why Ideas Are Cheap
  2. The Animal Test for Startup People
  3. How Many Founders, and Which Kind

What Customers Want

  1. Ship Version 1 and Watch Users
  2. Aim Low: Niches and the Low End
  3. Rescuing a Year-Long Build Plan

Raising Money

  1. Seed Money and Angel Investors
  2. Founder Stock, IP, and Valuation
  3. Dealing With Venture Capitalists

Not Spending It

  1. Get Big Slow
  2. Stay Poor and Hire Late
  3. Spending a Fresh Funding Round

Should You Start One?

  1. Who Should Start a Startup
  2. What a Startup Buys You

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