First: I work in Startup BD at AWS (disclosure), but have been a multi-time founder as well. I was under the impression that an AWS architect will sit with you to optimize your infrastructure (Business Support). Did that not happen / or was it not useful? Happy to help in any way I can.
I 100% agree with you. That experience made me really think about the "team v. product v. market" dynamic that so many startups and founders are judged by. If we are to believe that team matters above all -- then why do you put the product over ourselves? If we spent more time taking care of ourselves, perhaps the product's quality and viability. would accelerate faster?
Couldnt agree with the two of you more. At a certain point stress can be debilitating for creativity and finding new solutions. Its so easy to get rapped up in needing to make one specific thing work that we become short sided in our thinking. Its in those moments of space where perspective and growth happens.
as the OP, I actually meant the exact opposite. "Just build something awesome" is a horrible directive. It should be "Just build something awesome that people will actually pay for with more than time and tweets."
If the general aphorism, "just build something awesome," is so bad, isn't a more-specific "just build something awesome (with unpredictable constraints)" actually worse?
Its important to note that YC isnt "at fault," or "did something wrong." They did what they thought was best, and that decision drove Jon down a different path. The end result (at least at this point) is net-net positive for both. Being in YC as a single founder would have been really hard on Jon, and would have probably netted a different short-term result, given the learning and potential shift in direction an accelerator can bring (YC, TS, etc.)
