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Small Town Founder, Got Into YC Without Pedigree; Joseph Johnson, CEO, LedgerUp
🤔 VCs not responding to you?
I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations:
Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form
===================
GUEST INFO
Joseph Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-johnson-/
LedgerUp https://www.ledgerup.ai/
TIMESTAMPS
00:02:45 – Pitching the “AI bookkeeper” concept
00:04:10 – Using Reddit for brutally honest feedback
00:05:05 – YC’s top lesson: “Just launch”
00:06:00 – Sharing a real YC application template
00:06:30 – Key metrics and personas LedgerUp focused on
00:07:15 – Failing a YC interview early on — and what changed
00:09:00 – “No pedigree” but deep domain knowledge
00:10:20 – Joseph’s background as a controller and pain-point insight
00:12:15 – Fake it with a Loom video: building trust before tech
00:13:30 – Running a demo with a hidden second screen
00:15:00 – Realizing people care more about outcome than tech
00:16:10 – The moment they felt validated
00:17:00 – Breaking down the problem LedgerUp solves
00:18:00 – Pain points with QuickBooks and AP
00:19:00 – Advice for founders: validate with real users
00:20:50 – Email feedback loops and async YC demo strategy
00:22:00 – The power of Reddit threads and founder hustle
00:24:00 – Building a no-code front to fake backend functionality
00:26:00 – Early team decisions and technical founder dynamics
00:28:00 – Tools used to simulate automation during YC
00:30:00 – Managing high-stakes feedback during Demo Day
00:32:00 – Lessons from metrics-driven growth
00:34:00 – Long-term vision and post-YC roadmap
00:36:00 – Final thoughts: don’t wait, just ship it
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By Adam ODonnell
5
1818 ratings
🤔 VCs not responding to you?
I’ll review your deck & send you a detailed video with my actionable recommendations:
Submit here: https://airtable.com/appBXetKIMsy5r3bE/pagQlrExmVx38bk6W/form
===================
GUEST INFO
Joseph Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-johnson-/
LedgerUp https://www.ledgerup.ai/
TIMESTAMPS
00:02:45 – Pitching the “AI bookkeeper” concept
00:04:10 – Using Reddit for brutally honest feedback
00:05:05 – YC’s top lesson: “Just launch”
00:06:00 – Sharing a real YC application template
00:06:30 – Key metrics and personas LedgerUp focused on
00:07:15 – Failing a YC interview early on — and what changed
00:09:00 – “No pedigree” but deep domain knowledge
00:10:20 – Joseph’s background as a controller and pain-point insight
00:12:15 – Fake it with a Loom video: building trust before tech
00:13:30 – Running a demo with a hidden second screen
00:15:00 – Realizing people care more about outcome than tech
00:16:10 – The moment they felt validated
00:17:00 – Breaking down the problem LedgerUp solves
00:18:00 – Pain points with QuickBooks and AP
00:19:00 – Advice for founders: validate with real users
00:20:50 – Email feedback loops and async YC demo strategy
00:22:00 – The power of Reddit threads and founder hustle
00:24:00 – Building a no-code front to fake backend functionality
00:26:00 – Early team decisions and technical founder dynamics
00:28:00 – Tools used to simulate automation during YC
00:30:00 – Managing high-stakes feedback during Demo Day
00:32:00 – Lessons from metrics-driven growth
00:34:00 – Long-term vision and post-YC roadmap
00:36:00 – Final thoughts: don’t wait, just ship it
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