Andrew Mason at YC

Hi folks,<p>Good to be here!<p>To the Chicago-based commenters: if there's anything I can do to be helpful before I leave, email me at andrew@ycombinator.com. I'm happy to hang out and give "advice" if you'll make the haul up to Evanston and help me assemble a ping pong table or cat habitrail or whatever my loser project of the week is.<p>Whoever said Chicago's challenge is one of talent network effects, I agree (although it depends on the nature of your company - Chicago is great for Groupon). I'd love to help solve it, but not enough to endure the handicap. Building a company is hard enough as is. And if you're really intent on self-inflicted pain for your startup, there are far more interesting ways to do it.<p>The album is real. Looking forward to more 50% off jokes! Can't wait!<p>Andrew

"It was with this in mind that I spent a week in LA earlier this month recording Hardly Workin', a seven song album of motivational business music targeted at people newly entering the workforce."<p>I'm going to need at least a 50%-off coupon before I consider picking this one up.

I am appalled by the lack of respect Andrew Mason gets on Hacker News. Sure Groupon is the not the most impressive piece of technology built in the past five years, but you can credit this guy for creating a billion dollar Company with millions of customers in a pretty short time frame. They have made mistakes along the way, but who doesn't? I also find his blogging style refreshing compared to all the semi-famous startups CEOs pontificating about stuff they have done. Next batch of YC will be lucky to have him around.

"As part of this, my wife and I are moving to San Francisco later this summer. ... Chicago is developing quickly as a technology hub, and I hope to continue to find ways to support the amazing community of entrepreneurs here."<p>So stay! I understand you probably get nauseous every time you run in to someone from Lightbank, but we could really use you here. The city has gotten behind entrepreneurship, there are great mentors and accelerators. Tons of businesses are getting started. But what we sorely lack is people who have gone huge, took the big risks, learned a lot, made a bunch of money and now want to dive in and give back. Obviously you want to do this, and YC is great, but TechStars Chicago could use you a whole lot more.

"I managed over 12,000 people at Groupon, most under the age of 25."<p>So mostly CSRs / sales, right? Outbound cold calling and the like.<p>"Haven't you read any business books? Good to Great? Winning? The One Minute Manager?"<p>Why would they? Those are books aimed at business management, not customer service representatives.<p>I'm working as a paramedic. I don't prep for my new paramedic job by reading the textbooks my Medical Director (an MD) does.

&#62;It was with this in mind that I spent a week in LA earlier this month recording Hardly Workin', a seven song album of motivational business music targeted at people newly entering the workforce.<p>Uh... what?

"I came to realize that there was a real need to present business wisdom in a format that is more accessible to the younger generation."<p>Pretty cool actually. If anything YC &#38; HN inspire young people to dream and get engaged in business press &#38; conventions. There's a real lack of this knowledge and worldview by the uninitiated, even amongst peers dabbling in amateur entrepreneurship for whom business inspiration are motivational meme pictures.

I think its great idea to have him at YC .He was at the helm of fast growing tech company of all time , He could defintely help the YC founders with tips on hyper growth and what pitfalls to steer clear from...the hardly working ep uhhh not so much but you never know

Why does he think people newly entering the workforce will listen to an album of motivational business music over going to Quora or Harvard Business Review to read about business?

What is Andrew Mason's HN handle?

Love this guy. Accounting issues aside, concept to IPO to goodbye letter was such an interesting journey to watch unfold. Can't wait to see what happens at YC and the new startup. Welcome to the bay, Andrew.

I think future YC applicant should follow and submit their videos as a rap song. Heck if it's good for YC partner, then it should be good for the participants. Just don't sing to, "Call Me Maybe"!<p><i>edit typo</i>

"I'm really happy with the results and look forward to sharing them as soon as I figure out how to load music onto iTunes, hopefully in the next few weeks."<p>It might be a while.

Can somebody please explain why Groupon has 12,000 employees?

A motivational business music album...