YC Startup or start the finance grind?
Have been stalking WSO for a few years at this point, making my first post.
I'm an undergraduate (junior) at HYPSM studying CS. I am the founder of a YC startup as well
A lot of people around me are saying: wtf are you doing? go all in on your startup now.
The problem is that the odds that this startup works are astronomically low. Even if we raise a few rounds in this AI boom, I won't get to pay myself that much, and there's probably a 1% chance we ever get liquidity
On the other hand, I've always been really interested in the markets and have been trading tech since middle school in my PA. I now have over $1M in my PA. I consider myself good at understanding and valuing technologies, and being able to predict what direction these guys are going. Also, just to be self-aware, since I've started investing, we've never had a major crash besides covid, so that's been great too
this post is getting long and probably sounds really arrogant, so please do comment about that. however, i am really just seeking career advice on what to do
should I hedge my bets and start grinding HF/ER type of stuff on campus + networking to recruit something? since I started college, I've sat alone in my room and worked on my startup. so I know ~0 people, ~0 alums, and am only now learning all the jargon
My heart rn is leaning towards dropping the startup aspirations, but I wonder if it's too late atp?
Some people have suggested recruiting IB or MBB, but after talking to some folks, watching YT, and reading up on WSO, I just feel like it's not for me. The only thing I could imagine myself doing is ER or HF if I'm being honest
meant to post this in HF but the bot moved my post to VC.
You're about to graduate with $1M in your PA, why are you worrying about near term earnings?
You should be optimizing for two things: Learning and network since early investments in both of these areas compound incredibly fast.
If you're going to grind on something, it should be your own company, especially if you're already in YC. Find a co-founder to help you along the way. Take time to meet other YC folks as well and carve out at least one day a week to socialize. Start ups are hard but you're going to learn so much more and meet so many driven people that will force you to grow at an accelerated rate.
Hedging your bets is for people that can't afford to fail. You can, so take the leap and don't look back.
I did ER, HF, and VC before quitting and getting into YC. Building a company, though stressful, is the most fun i've ever had.
Not in YC, but soon to be working in a rocketship startup once I graduate, with aims to start my own thing.
Can you elaborate upon the network? Obviously alumni + peers at startup, but who should I aim to network with outside of these and how do I tangibly provide value/keep it warm?
Anyone that works in your space. Reach out to VPs of xyz at other fast growing start ups and ask them for advice. If you're early in your career your first priority should be finding people to mentor you, whether that's a boss or someone tangential.
Once you've made contact and they seem to like you, send them quarterly updates on what you've learned, progress, and a question or two. Do this consistently and you'll build a strong support network.
Dm’ed you
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