Ask YC: What is the last task one should do before launching a startup?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=124237

by moog • 18 years ago

22 41 18 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

See title

mixmax• 18 years ago

pray

Hexstream• 18 years ago

Realizing that you're not at the end of the journey, you're at the end of the start of it.

dkokelley2• 18 years ago

That all depends on what you haven't done yet. Assuming that all you need to do is tell people about what you've got and the money will come freely and nothing will break, I would just send out a press release announcing your launch.

icky3• 18 years ago

> Assuming that all you need to do is tell people about what you've got and the money will come freely and nothing will break,

That's a pretty big assumption... ;-)

andr• 18 years ago

Ask YC a very vague question ;)

falsestprophet2• 18 years ago

I highly recommend load testing. Good luck.

ivankirigin3• 18 years ago

That is very optimistic.

falsestprophet2• 18 years ago

I don't think so. Getting enough traffic to choke a small VPS is possible sooner than you may expect, especially if you have not rooted out all serious bottlenecks (which are often discovered during load testing.)

cperciva• 18 years ago

Get a good night of sleep -- it might be the last you get for a long time.

jraines• 18 years ago

Pick out your favorite brands of personal jet, caviar and champagne.

axod• 18 years ago

Have kids :D

nickb• 18 years ago

Well, you're just about to give birth to one! Can you handle two?

tim2• 18 years ago

Request clearance from the tower.

alaskamiller• 18 years ago

Eat a sandwich.

ivankirigin3• 18 years ago

The pickles must be on the side.

crystalarchives• 18 years ago

Take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, and prepare for round two: gaining traction.

redorb• 18 years ago

Take founding team to dinner.

gojomo• 18 years ago

Further: do this dinner at a cheap, stable, unpretentious place.

Come grand success or crushing failure, this will become the spot for founders' reunion dinners in the years or decades to come.

ivankirigin3• 18 years ago

"I'll have a double-double animal-style launch burger."

drusenko• 18 years ago

I'd recommend giving yourself 1 extra week from the point you originally wanted to launch. Make sure everything is finished, and give yourself 1 week to actually use the product. Fix all the little things, and add the extra polish, things you really wish you had time to do before. But don't delay more than a week.

sutro2• 18 years ago

Drink a bottle of Cisco RED:

http://www.bumwine.com/cisco.html

dmoney• 18 years ago

If this sounds like a good idea, you are already drunk. But if you're drunk enough, it tastes like fruit juice! DON'T DO THIS!!

sutro2• 18 years ago

Except for the part about fruit juice, your advice is perfect for those considering doing a startup.

marketer• 18 years ago

break up with your girlfriend

Prrometheus• 18 years ago

Bang a really hot chick. Unless you're a chick, in which case you should bang a really hot chick.

LostInTheWoods• 18 years ago

Last task: get rid of your fear, doubt and disbeleif.

wamboldt• 18 years ago

quit your job if you have one, and tell everyone you know about your startup and how you will make thousands/millions soon.

icky3• 18 years ago

... and have a 10% chance of not just having done something really dumb! ;-D

wenbert• 18 years ago

i would relaxxx.

lyime• 18 years ago

Do usability testing and then some more.

ghiotion• 18 years ago

convert everything to lisp?

jbyers2• 18 years ago

Agree with yourself that you'll do whatever it takes to make it succeed. Otherwise, don't bother.

icky3• 18 years ago

> Agree with yourself that you'll do whatever it takes to make it succeed.

Or, conversely, "fail fast".

jbyers2• 18 years ago

Good point, failing fast is success if you learn from it.

bayareaguy• 18 years ago

Close a deal to deliver your first product (or do the web-equivalent to be sure your market is there).

walter_b_marvin• 18 years ago

I don't know about this lack of sleep bit. I tried it and people have better ideas and do better work when not stressed. I'd rather substitute better planning for lack of sleep.

jchum• 18 years ago

Load test and optimize user experience. You have one crack at attracting users. If your site is down, or the user experience is sluggish,that's bad news. Make sure you have some external monitoring in place.

mig• 18 years ago

pray ;)

hopeless• 18 years ago

The last thing you need to do before launching is the first thing you remember to do after launching ;-)

wastedbrains• 18 years ago

Read some books about the startup experience, get ready to enjoy the ride.

Ask YC: What is the last task one should do before launching a startup?

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