
A16Z partner: fake it ‘til you make it - randomacct3847
https://twitter.com/ljin18/status/1086738156840308736
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aaronbrethorst
FTT:

 _A few examples: 1) Uber launched by going to black car companies and paying
drivers to be available on Uber during certain hours, ensuring that riders
would be able to find a ride.

2) Relationship Hero, a relationship coaching marketplace, scaled to dozens of
customers with just one coach--its cofounder! But the website listed 10 fake
coaches, to give users the sense that it was a more active platform with
diverse coaches who fit their particular situation.

3) Beepi, which was a used car marketplace, had a massive chicken and egg
problem in attracting sellers and buyers initially. To solve this, the
founders went out and purchased used cars to seed the supply side. After a few
months, they moved to the marketplace model._

A reply:

 _The examples in this thread are really something — #2 was lying, bordering
on fraud, and #3 burned through $75m in 18 months before going out of
business._

[https://twitter.com/michaelshafrir/status/108676474531371417...](https://twitter.com/michaelshafrir/status/1086764745313714178)

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mattbillenstein
Makes me think of Theranos...

