Clear Communication is Clear Thinking
How Paul Graham’s philosophy shaped Garry Tan and YC’s obsession with clarity
In the latest episode of The Knowledge Project, Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan reflects on key lessons he’s learned from founder Paul Graham — particularly the power of clear, concise communication.
A standout point is Y Combinator’s relentless emphasis on brevity. Applicants to the prestigious startup accelerator are given just 10 minutes to pitch their ideas. As Garry explains:
“The surprising thing that has worked over and over again is that, in those 10 minutes, you either learn a lot about both the founders and the market — or you don’t. So we’re looking for incredibly crisp communication. I want to know: What is it? And often, the first thing I ask is not just what it is, but why you're working on it.”
Once accepted, founders work with YC to distill their startup’s purpose into a two-second description — a task that sounds simple, but is remarkably difficult. Condensing something meaningful into such a tight frame requires deep understanding and focused thinking.
Garry draws a comparison to Paul Graham’s famously thoughtful essays, which are admired for their distilled insight:
“[Founders] are actually figuring out a very complex concept and then trying to say it in as few words as possible. The amount of time Paul spends on his essays is fascinating — sometimes weeks — just iterating and seeking feedback. He works to say the most with the fewest words. And that is thinking. Writing is thinking. One of the most surprising things we do at YC is help people refine their two-sentence pitch — and it takes real thinking.”
When asked directly what he’s learned from Paul Graham, Garry said:
“The number one thing — and it’s hard, but it’s so clear in his essays — is to be plainspoken and hyper-aware of artifice... basically, to cut the bullshit.”
This focus on plain, direct language isn’t just stylistic — it’s a core operating principle. At Y Combinator, clarity is treated as a proxy for real understanding.
The culture at Y Combinator is clearly shaped by Graham’s communication philosophy. From 10-minute interviews to two-sentence pitches, these mechanisms compel founders to think sharply, speak clearly, and cut through the noise.