We started out as a Shopify plugin for marketing and had some users. But before expanding the product we didn't really talk to any potential users. Again, another stupid mistake.
Once we started building we got the opportunity to talk to a users(Other YC companies in the same batch) - which thinking of it now was not the ideal user persona.
If you are having to take customers with whom you share the same investor, it's probably a sign that you are not doing well enough to find customers on your own. Plus I don't think YC derives much benefit if its companies survive by selling services to each other.
