YC SUS: Kat Mañalac and Eric Migicovsky discuss Week 2 SUS Lectures

Calls-to-action should be as short and clear as possible, avoiding jargon like 'alpha' or 'beta.' The longer users wait on a list, the harder it is to re-engage them, so aim to get an MVP of your product out as soon as feasible.

It's best to separate these touchpoints. User interviews should focus purely on understanding problems and existing solutions. If a problem is significant, the solution itself should be the incentive; offering money for feedback might indicate the problem isn't that critical.

Focus on reaching out to the right people by doing your research and ensuring you're solving a problem they or their audience care about. It's a numbers game; be prepared to send hundreds of emails and follow up persistently. Also, aim lower and engage with community leaders in niche groups.

For geo-targeted services, consider manual on-the-ground efforts and leveraging your personal network (friends, former colleagues). Door hangers or even strategic placement in high-traffic areas like building elevators can also be effective.

Build the smallest viable product (MVP) that addresses a problem users have explicitly stated. Then, put that solution in their hands and get feedback. It's easier to get feedback on a real solution than on a hypothetical product.

No, you should launch as quickly as possible. By Demo Day, you want to have traction and user feedback to show. Don't overcomplicate your launch; just get the product or MVP out there and start iterating.

Yes, founders can start building MVPs while employed. The primary test is your own conviction; if you're not excited, others won't be. If an MVP isn't being used regularly, it suggests you're not solving the core problem or lack necessary features.

For enterprise B2B, you often don't need public pricing, allowing you to A/B test different prices with individual clients. A common mistake is charging too little; companies often underestimate the value they provide compared to in-house solutions.

Identify who controls the budget and decides to pay for the solution. Also, determine if they are already paying for similar solutions or have budget allocated. If not, they might not be your best initial customers.

This construction is useful if 'X' is a well-known household name and clarifies your offering quickly. Avoid it if 'X' is obscure, not widely understood (like 'Buffer for Snapchat'), or if the company you're referencing (like 'WeWork') is in crisis.

Yes, if that landing page effectively communicates that you solve a real problem for users. Some companies have successfully raised funds or gained thousands of waitlist sign-ups with just a clear value proposition on a webpage.

Reach out personally as the CEO, either by phone or direct email from your personal account, not a generic drip campaign. Explain the situation and relaunch plans to remind them of your value proposition.

Initially, avoid 'whale hunting.' Focus on smaller customers who have the problem and can make buying decisions quickly. This allows you to gain paying customers, get feedback fast, and iterate before approaching larger enterprises.

If, after talking to customers, you realize your initial hypothesis about the problem or market is incorrect, it's okay to pivot or rebuild. Continuing to do the same thing expecting different results is a definition of insanity.

If the demographic isn't spending money, it's likely not the right target for revenue. Consider adapting the product so that it appeals to them while also having a monetization strategy, or shift focus to a demographic that is willing and able to pay.

Let users talk extensively about their lives; ask about where they live, what they do, and how often they face the problem. Treat interviews as wide-open discovery sessions. If users keep pitching solutions, gently redirect them to understand the underlying problem driving their requests.

Treat it like your first launch: use all the same channels (Product Hunt, Hacker News, blog posts). Consider an initial beta launch with existing users to test conversion language and refine marketing messages based on their feedback.

Focus on growing within your existing city first. It's easier to perfect an MVP in one location before expanding. Try to fund growth through customer revenue rather than immediately seeking investor dollars, as this makes future fundraising easier.

Don't aim to 'break things' in healthcare. Consider your product as an evolution of existing telemedicine solutions. You might partner with HIPAA-compliant platforms or focus intently on one region to navigate regulations effectively.