Justin Kan (Twitch; Justin.TV) at Startup Grind San Francisco

TL;DR

Justin describes his journey from building the failed Kiko calendar company to the massive success of Twitch, with insights on startups and personal growth along the way.

Transcript

welcome to the startup grind that's awesome that's a very warm welcome welcome yeah you green light over there there we go Mar check the work yeah all right thanks that was that was awesome I felt like Lady Gaga you don't look like um we should we could have had you wear like one of your big hats we should a little better uh well tell us tell us a ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🏛️ Building something valuable that people want is more important than building something to sell.
• 👂 Being engaged with the community and continuously listening to customer feedback is crucial for success.
• 🖐️ Timing plays a significant role in the success of a startup, and it is essential to assess the potential market and competition.
• 💂 Openly sharing ideas and seeking feedback can be more beneficial than guarding them in secrecy.
• 🏛️ Building a successful company requires continual focus and a willingness to adapt and pivot when necessary.
• 💗 Entrepreneurship is not a one-size-fits-all journey, and there are various approaches to starting and growing a startup.
• 🏂 Accountability to investors and board members can help drive success and growth.
• 🏛️ Helping others and building relationships within the startup ecosystem can bring long-lasting benefits.

Questions & Answers

Q: What led Justin to become interested in startups and technology?

Justin's love for startups and technology began at a young age, and he was fortunate to have family members involved in the tech industry. This exposure sparked his interest and led him to pursue a career in startups.

Q: How did Justin meet his co-founder and start their first company?

Justin and his co-founder, EMT, met in second grade and grew up together. They both attended Yale and decided to start a company together, which eventually became Kiko, a web-based calendar.

Q: Why did Justin decide to transition from Kiko to Justin TV?

After facing challenges with Kiko, Justin and his team wanted to explore new ideas. They saw the potential in live streaming and decided to launch Justin TV, which eventually led to the creation of Twitch, a gaming-focused platform.

Q: What factors contributed to the success of Twitch?

The success of Twitch can be attributed to its focus on the gaming community, engaging with users, and providing high-quality video streaming. They also prioritized building a strong community and enabling content creators to earn a living on the platform.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Justin talks about his background growing up in Seattle and his love for technology and startups.

• He shares his experience of attending Yale and initially planning to go to law school before discovering his passion for startups.

• Justin explains how he met his co-founder and started their first company, Kiko, a web-based calendar.

• After the failure of Kiko, Justin and his team pivoted to create Justin TV, a live streaming platform.

• The success of Twitch, a gaming-focused section of Justin TV, led Justin to focus on building and growing the platform.