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saddino

saddino on Hacker News

Re:Show HN: Stream live video inside of iMessage with Looksy on Tuesday October 11, 2016 @08:06PM (#12689493)
Hey everyone, just looking for some beta users (the link is to d/l via TestFlight) before this is ready for prime time, thanks!!
Re:Show HN: Low – totally silent video chat on Monday August 10, 2015 @05:56PM (#10037703)
thanks for the comment! yeah our website is still our pre-launch placeholder for testers so we'll start to work on something more product focussed
Re:Show HN: Low – totally silent video chat on Monday August 10, 2015 @05:07PM (#10037349)
well we got blindsided by Yahoo! when they released Livetext while we were still in stealth with a buggy MVP (in fact, TechCrunch broke the story the same day we submitted to the App Store)

pro: we don't have the validate the concept anymore

con: now we're playing catch-up with an Internet giant

anyway, guess there's some solace in having the only alternative on iOS for video texting without sound, and we still think our minimalist design is pretty cool

help us keep morale up by checking it out, thanks!

Re:In conversation with Marc Andreessen on Monday October 20, 2014 @02:38AM (#8480930)
As someone who relocated from DC to SV two years ago, DC has always had a healthy startup scene that is, as you suspect, hampered severely by money flow. That's not to say it's not possible to fundraise where you are, it's just amazingly much harder to do so.
Re:Is it ever too early to pitch? on Sunday October 19, 2014 @12:16AM (#8477199)
Your pitch is never "finished" because it's a living reflection of your conviction, your passion and most importantly, a tangible opportunity (for investment, for employment, for customers).

You should pitch whenever you can, to whomever you can, until doing so is effortless.

A pitch is foremost a test of your own faith in your project. If there is any self-doubt, your pitch will betray it, and you will know you aren't ready (or that the idea and your execution aren't going to cut it).

So by all means pitch. Test yourself.

Re:If you want to start a startup, go work for someone else on Saturday September 06, 2014 @12:55PM (#8278773)
The path I took (founded four startups previously, two exits, currently working on fifth) was to first have a go at consulting.

Working for yourself is not much different from running a startup. You have a product (yourself). You have sales (winning contracts). You have accounting (for your invoices and for your expenses) and have to keep books. You have legal (your contracts). It's a great way to learn how to run a (hopefully) profitable business and build the foundation you'll need to run a startup.

Re:How Americans Die on Thursday April 17, 2014 @12:47PM (#7604685)
Apparently moderate alcohol consumption only increases life expectancy for people who are generally unhealthy (by reducing risk of heart attack) http://nutritionfacts.org/video/alcohol-risks-vs-benefits/
Re:How to be a Programmer: A Short, Comprehensive, and Personal Summar... on Sunday October 27, 2013 @12:14AM (#6620736)
Here's a shorter version: Are you so inspired by a software product or service that you are driving yourself mad thinking about how it was created? Great, do whatever you can to write your own version. Keep at it. Seriously, keep at it. Are you so obsessed with figuring this out that you are unaware that hours are passing by while you work? Awesome. You have discovered a true passion. Now you don't need to read things titled "How to Be a Programmer" because you will drive yourself to become one innately.

For everyone else, go ahead and try to read things titled "How to Be a Programmer" but don't expect it to actually help you, you know, BECOME one.

Re:Is a Nest worth the money? on Friday August 09, 2013 @08:44PM (#6189549)
If, worth = "love the convenience of a wi-fi enabled device that can be controlled by my phone and looks hella cool" then, yes...yes it is.
Re:Beware of these lame App Store techniques on Monday July 01, 2013 @11:26AM (#5971241)
Apple should institute an unpublished karma score for reviewers based on number of reviews, how long a user used the app prior to reviewing, etc and use it to weigh both visibility of the review and its contribution to the average score.
Re:How Rap Genius Raised $1.8M in Seed Funding Without Knowing What We... on Thursday June 27, 2013 @12:29PM (#5953135)
If you, as a startup founder, can't authentically and sincerely project energy, excitement and confidence about your idea, then something is either wrong with your idea or you are in the wrong business.
Re:Police admit they're 'stumped' by mystery car thefts on Wednesday June 05, 2013 @01:28PM (#5827141)
Get ready for two-factor authentication coming to a car near you.
Re:A founder-friendly term sheet on Tuesday June 04, 2013 @02:13PM (#5821136)
Love this. Would consider myself super lucky to have someone as founder-friendly as Sam as an investor.
Re:Startup founders vs entrepreneurs on Tuesday June 04, 2013 @11:41AM (#5820089)
As someone who has been both, I don't think the distinction is that important. Either route carries enormous pressures and the associated stress that comes along for the ride. Plenty of lifestyle businesses have taken the same toll on their founders' marriages, families, net worth and more. In fact, probably more entrepreneurs have offed themselves due to business failures than startup founders.

The actual question for would be business owners is: does the intensity of your passion drive you towards accepting this risk? If you are unsure, then either title is probably the wrong one for you.

Re:Does Pinterest own the word "pin"? on Monday June 03, 2013 @04:21PM (#5815685)
"Ownership" of a word is not the issue here. The standard for trademark infringement is based on a "confusingly similar" basis. Unfortunately there is no hard and fast rule here: it's up to a judge to decide. That final points made in the article are exactly how one would go about mounting a defense; but again, you are at the mercy of the courts here and fighting this would cost.

(IMO the PinPigeon logo is indeed confusingly similar)

Re:On the cusp of something big on Wednesday May 08, 2013 @12:21AM (#5672472)
For this to work you can't be completely delusional, only partially.

This.

Or as I like to say: the most important pitch you will ever make is to yourself. Convince yourself and others will follow.

Re:What Really Happened When Facebook Bought Instagram on Monday May 06, 2013 @02:04AM (#5661104)
What I really enjoy about Kara Swisher's article is how her writing style and her framing of the story reflects the whirlwind reality that found Systrom and Krieger in an 18 month exit.

There are no superhuman heroics involved here nor supersecret backroom deals. This is really just a simple story of good luck and timing, a spot on pivot and execution, and honestly brokered business relationships.

You can't duplicate the Instagram strategy because there was no strategy. These guys didn't build an app to flip. They built an app that was cool: to them, their friends, their investors, their users, and ultimately their suitors and acquirer.

Kudos to them.

Re:What a stupid idea on Tuesday April 30, 2013 @08:22PM (#5635740)
Every killer idea is stupid until success betrays its obviousness. Most inspired ideas are probably stupid. And finally, many ideas are just plain stupid. The trick is to ignore your gut reaction and ask yourself, "If this amazingly stupid idea is executed perfectly, is there a real market for this?" Women "pinning" their desires? Check. People sharing incredibly easy-to-compose video? Check.

Don't confuse the dancer with the dance.

Re:Don’t Launch Your Product on Tuesday April 23, 2013 @11:58PM (#5599699)
Another reminder why off-brand soft launches on mobile are key to testing and understanding your potential customer and market.
Re:Want To Raise A Million Bucks? Here’s What You’ll Need on Tuesday April 23, 2013 @02:36AM (#5593615)
While idea viability may be validated by traction (read: user acquisition), product viability is best validated by DAU / MAU and low churn metrics.

That being said, we closed $750K in my last startup after crossing 125K users, so perhaps traction is good enough at least for the first round.

Re:Why Does Music Feel So Good? on Monday April 15, 2013 @11:27AM (#5551987)
There have been several pieces (from classical to classic rock) that have actually caused me to break out in tears. Not teary eyes mind you; gushing waterworks at specific resolution points. Amazingly, this is reproducible, but the severity of the effect depends on my mood. After reading this, my best guess is that this is tied to an especially intense release of dopamine. My maternal grandfather shared this peculiarity and both of us have had awkward moments where we try to explain that we are quite OK -- "it was just the music" (an explanation often met with puzzled expressions).
Re:No Company For Old Programmers on Thursday April 11, 2013 @11:34AM (#5532615)
It took me almost 20 years of hardcore programming to realize it wasn't the programming that was interesting to me. I didn't give a whit about new languages and frameworks and new design patterns. What I cared about was the creation of something from nothing. What I cared about was the ability to conceptualize and immediately materialize: ideas leading to moving digits on a keyboard leading to product.

Starting my own company, releasing my own software, interacting with my own users and reveling in their praises or reeling back from their complaints: that's software brought to life and that's what keeps me going.

Programming is just the canvas for getting my ideas out in the real world in the hands of real people.

Re:An acquisition rarely starts out looking like one on Saturday April 06, 2013 @12:23AM (#5502625)
Beware too that some advances, while looking like possible acquisition discussions, are nothing more than intelligence gathering. Another reason to heed PG's advice to keep looking ahead while ignoring the hand wavers.

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