I interviewed 3 startups that Paul Graham helped launch through Y Combinator. Each told me about a specific piece of advice that he gave them that turned their business around. How How does he do it? That's what I asked in this interview. ...Tags:

If you've watched my past interviews, you know that I'm obsessed with interviewing companies that are actually charging their users (as opposed to hoping to profit from ads). I want to learn how they do it. Don't you?

Because we’re just trying to help people. Do you know people who too much time on the details of their ideas instead of just launching? Show them this Mixergy program with Premal Shah, President of Kiva.org . Kiva is a microfinancing non-profit that allows you to lend money to entrepreneurs in developing countries.

I’m sick of the usual interviews with Tim Ferriss , which waste time arguing over whether it’s possible to work four hours a week. What I want to know is how Tim got so many people to talk about him and his book, The Four Hour Work Week , and how he made his book into a New York Times Best Seller. So I called him up and did my own interview.

If you read the recent announcement that UserVoice riased, $800,000 this program will help you learn the small changes that allowed them to do it. Marcus Nelson, the company’s co-founder, came to Mixergy to talk about the changes so his experience could help you if decide to raise money. UserVoice helps companies harness their users’ feedback. Video excerpt ( Can’t see video?

Another thing that helped him is that he built relationships before he needed them. How to create the one business relationship that will help easily win over others. If you like this interview, vote for it on Hacker News . Imagine if you wanted to start a business and you were able to brainstorm ideas and put together your plan with some of the top internet entrepreneurs, like Max Levchin (PayPal), James Hong (HOTorNOT), and Albert Lai ( Kontagent ).

I asked Jon Bischke , founder of eduFire how he empowers his site’s teachers to promote their classes–and thereby help eduFire grow. Got a tip for helping users promote a site? Was this video helpful? Have you noticed that the fastest growing web sites are masters at getting their users to promote them? How do you build that kind of promotion machine?

That was my first dependable source of revenue, and because I kept reinvesting it in the business, it helped my company take off. Eventually, with the help of great people, I was able to fix the company, make it profitable, and sell it. Relaxing is still a challenge for me, but I’m engaged to a great woman who’s helping me learn how to do that. Mixergy fan, Lisa Bruckner saw me interview other entrepreneurs here and asked, “Where’s YOUR interview Andrew?” She wanted to know how I bootstrapped that $30+ MM/year business and a few other things about me.

I also found this interesting graphic of the changing needs around the CTO role in different size/type companies that somewhat echoes my experience. ( Roger Smith ) This helps explain where I normally play. My role is to work as part of the team to (1) understand related technologies and technical opportunities, (2) understand and help drive alignment around a vision of where the business should go, and (3) mesh those together to help make disciplined, proactive technical decisions. I generally am working as an acting CTO for about 3-4 start-ups or other companies at any one time.

Since my best interviews come from introductions from readers like you, could you please take a look at this list and see if you can help me meet any of them? If you don't know anyone, I have suggestions for how you can help me reach these inspiring entrepreneurs. Please help me meet these entrepreneurs About this request I