How To Improve Cohort Retention with David Lieb | Startup School

How To Improve Cohort Retention with David Lieb | Startup School

Author: Y Combinator November 16, 2024 Duration: 29:22

At YC our motto is make something people want. But how do you actually know if you’ve accomplished that in the early days? One of the best ways to measure successful growth is a concept called cohort retention, which tracks the fraction of new users that come back time and time again to use your product. In this episode of Startup School, YC Group Partner David Lieb explains how to define cohorts, track active users and determine the appropriate time frame for measuring successful retention rates.


Behind every successful startup is a story, and the Y Combinator Startup Podcast is where those stories are told in full. This isn't about polished theory; it's the raw, practical conversation happening between founders who have been in the trenches and the Y Combinator partners who advise them. You'll hear directly from people who have navigated the chaotic journey from a flicker of an idea to building a company that scales, discussing not just their victories but, more importantly, the hard lessons and tactical decisions that aren't found in any textbook. Each episode feels like a candid office-hours session, stripping away the hype to focus on the real work of making something people actually want. For anyone curious about the mechanics of building a technology company-the early uncertainties, the pivotal moments, and the relentless focus on execution-this podcast offers an unfiltered look at the craft. Tune in for genuine insights from the frontlines, where the focus remains squarely on the art and science of building things that matter.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Y Combinator Startup Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Fusion Energy Is Tech's Next Big Unlock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:07
Fusion may still sound like science fiction— but it might not be for much longer. With AI pushing demand for clean power to new highs, a breakthrough may finally be close.For Decoded, YC General Partner Gustaf Alstromer…
AI Apps Are Broken — Here's How To Fix Them [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:07
In this episode of The Breakdown, Tom and Dave are joined by fellow YC General Partner Pete Koomen to lay out a new vision for how AI should actually work: not as a chatbot bolted onto legacy software, but as a customiza…
How AI Coding Agents Will Change Your Job [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:11
Coding agents are no longer a distant idea—they're already starting to reshape how we work.YC's Tom Blomfield and David Lieb discuss how AI coding tools are transforming software development, why small, high-agency teams…
How To Get The Most Out Of Vibe Coding | Startup School [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:39
AI can't yet one-shot an entire product—but with the rise of vibe coding, it's getting close. YC's Tom Blomfield has spent the last month building side projects with tools like Claude Code, Windsurf, and Aqua, seeing jus…
How Zepto Became India’s Fastest Growing Startup [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:23
Imagine ordering groceries and having them show up at your doorstep in just 10 minutes. That’s the promise of Zepto, the fastest-growing e-commerce company in India. In this episode of How To Build The Future, Garry sits…
Why America Stopped Innovating - And How We Can Start Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:12
Not long ago, America led the world in building and innovation. But over the past 50 years, bureaucracy and red tape have made it nearly impossible to get big things done.Still, there’s a growing movement to turn that ar…
What Founders Can Do To Improve Their Design Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:43
In this special episode of Design Review, Aaron sits down with Raphael Schaad, the Head of Calendar at Notion to discuss his leap from designer to founder, why illustration is an important first step when building a new…
How to Build the Future: Tony Xu [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:32
12 years after starting DoorDash, co-founder & CEO Tony Xu and his employees still do deliveries every year, staying true to their core value: customer obsession.Today, DoorDash is the largest food delivery platform in t…
Customer Obsession Made Gusto A $9.6 Billion Company [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:58
Gusto (https://gusto.com) made payroll and HR painless for small businesses, growing into a $9.6B company along the way. Co-founder & CEO Josh Reeves joined YC's Harj Taggar to share how they built a payroll company from…
The Future Of Design With Figma's Dylan Field [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:41
Design isn’t just about making things work—it’s about how they work, says Dylan Field, the co-founder & CEO of Figma.As AI transforms tech, he believes a designer's judgment, taste, and agency will matter more than ever.…