How to Launch

(again)
(and again)
Kat Mañalac
Partner, Y Combinator

kat@ycombinator.com
@katmanalac
Change the
way you think
about
launching.
• Silent launch 
• Friends and family launch
• Stranger launch
• Online community 
• Request access launch
• Social media/blogger 
• Pre-order
• New feature/product launch
• Press 
 Why Launch Continuously?
•A/B test your short pitch
•See how users respond to your
product 
•Launching to different audiences:
Are you talking to the right users?
 Silent
Launch
 Silent Launch

• Domain name
• Company name
• Short description
• Contact
• Call to action
Friends
& Family
Strangers
 Online
Communities
 Online Communities
• Startup School
• Product Hunt
• Hacker News
• reddit
• Elpha
• Facebook groups
• Alumni groups
No marketing
language.
No jargon.
 Online Communities

• Introduce your company

• What are you building?
• Who are you building it for?
• Why?
• Interesting insights?
Request
Access
 Social
Media/
Bloggers
 Pre-
Order
New Product
or Feature
 Build your
own
community.
Launching
isn’t one
moment in
• Silent launch 
• Friends and family launch
• Stranger launch
• Online community 
• Request access launch
• Social media/blogger 
• Pre-order
• New feature/product launch
• Press 
Kat Mañalac
Partner, Y Combinator

kat@ycombinator.com
@katmanalac