
Paul Graham To Hold Y Combinator “Office Hours” At TechCrunch Disrupt - ssclafani
http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/17/paul-graham-to-hold-y-combinator-office-hours-at-techcrunch-disrupt-apply-now/
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pg
I hope everyone realizes that these are going to be held on stage, and that if
you do this, a lot of stuff of the type that companies usually like to keep
secret is going to get discussed in front of a roomful of people.

I also don't know if it's going to work. I compressed the time slots about 3x
to make it interesting for the audience. Since I won't know the startups
already and the time slots are so short, the result will probably be more like
YC interviews than office hours.

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dreamux
Would you consider doing this as a teleconference on a regular basis (ex. once
a quarter)? It would be valuable access to a much wider audience.

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davidw
With a family, and N Y Combinator companies to follow, what would be the
benefit for PG in doing so?

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pclark
What is the top comment (from Robin Wolaner) talking about?

"Does he allow women founders to come to office hours? Although given his
admittance that he prefers not to invest in women of child-bearing age,
perhaps none will bother."

[https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com...](https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftechcrunch.com%2F2011%2F05%2F17%2Fpaul-
graham-to-hold-y-combinator-office-hours-at-techcrunch-disrupt-apply-
now%2F%3Ffb_comment_id%3Dfbc_10150200958421225_16526152_10150201067986225&h=f55f3)

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edanm
An article called "The False Choice Between Babies and Startups" was on the
front page a few days ago.

From the article:

"When I got to the bottom of [Paul Graham's] post I found the following
footnote that read:

[2] One advantage startups have over established companies is that there are
no discrimination laws about starting businesses. For example, I would be
reluctant to start a startup with a woman who had small children, or was
likely to have them soon. [emphasis added] But you’re not allowed to ask
prospective employees if they plan to have kids soon…Whereas when you’re
starting a company, you can discriminate on any basis you want about who you
start it with.

While its common knowledge among career savvy women that we often have to
prove that we are “in it to win it,” so to speak, I was surprised to see this
advice given so matter-of-factly without noting any further mitigating factors
a “reluctant” founder might consider when contemplating starting a company
with a woman who was, or desired to become, a mother."

The article goes on to explain this is a false choice.

Link to the article: [http://blogs.forbes.com/85broads/2011/05/16/the-false-
choice...](http://blogs.forbes.com/85broads/2011/05/16/the-false-choice-
between-babies-and-startups/)

Link to the HN thread on the article:
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2554807>

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tt
I don't see how this would be like true OH (not that I've ever been to one),
which only truly works if it's about one or a couple specific/isolated topics.

I suspect it would be more like a pitch-your-company-and-Paul-will-give-you-
his-opinion-about-it session.

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MenaMena123
It really would be nice to have open office hours where any team can come into
chat in private. When I move down to the valley I would like to chat with
people I think would be interested and not have to chase people around or feel
they are too busy. As an entrepreneur I think we should be able to score a
meeting with anyone, too bad its not the way it goes. In reality some of us
sacrifice so much and for a meeting to never be setup at times is such a waste
for entrepreneurs and then again I understand not everyone would fit the "YC"
type. I do love YC and many others, but its time for the entrepreneur to be on
stage interviewing the Angels and VCs. Without us they aren't much :)

I guess if were that good they will find us or at least hear about us later.

