Tracy Osborn is moving from Twitter to Bluesky because she feels the vibe on Twitter has changed significantly, especially in the last few months, and it no longer suits her personal or professional needs. She finds Bluesky reminiscent of Twitter in its early days (2007-2008), with a fun and creative community, and sees it as a better fit for her.
Tracy Osborn and Einar Vollset have made a $1,000 bet on whether Bluesky will have significantly more traction in three years. Tracy believes it will thrive, while Einar is skeptical, comparing it to past social media platforms like Mastodon and Threads that failed to gain lasting traction.
TinySeed's third fund continues its strategy of investing in early-stage B2B SaaS companies, particularly those aiming for success through private equity or strategic sales rather than aiming for $20 billion valuations. The fund builds on TinySeed's track record, which includes a 2-2.5x markup on its first fund and investments in nearly 200 companies since 2019.
Y Combinator backs startups that duplicate other YC companies because they focus on the founders rather than the specific ideas. Founders often pivot, and YC believes in supporting driven individuals who can execute quickly and adapt, even if it means backing competitors within the same batch or cohort.
Einar Vollset suggests founders overcome imposter syndrome by embracing uncertainty and taking action rather than falling into analysis paralysis. He emphasizes that operating under uncertainty is a startup's superpower, and founders should focus on moving fast and learning from mistakes rather than seeking perfect clarity.
Australia is proposing a 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16, aiming to protect them from the addictive and potentially harmful effects of these platforms. The policy would require identification for internet access, raising concerns about privacy and government overreach.
In episode 744, Rob Walling is joined by Tracy Osborn and Einar Vollset to give their hot takes on some recent news. They cover the recent rise of Bluesky, kicking off a 4-figure bet between Tracy and Einar. Then they discuss TinySeed’s third fund, YC Combinator backing competitors, dealing with imposter syndrome, and finally government involvement in banning social media.
**Topics we cover: **
(1:49) – Will Bluesky survive and thrive?
(9:07) – The bet on Bluesky growth
(13:46) – TinySeed is raising a third fund
(17:25) – Y Combinator backs duplicates
(22:18) – Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
(27:46) – Australia's social media ban
Links from the Show:
The SaaS Launchpad – Start Free with “The DNA of a Great SaaS Idea”)
Y Combinator often backs startups that duplicate other YC companies, data shows)
Procrastination and the Fear of Not Being 'Good Enough') by Swapnil Chauhan
Australia proposes 'world-leading' ban on social media for children under 16)
If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question) for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!