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Accidentally Building a Y Combinator-backed Startup with Sachin Jain
Manage episode 514251140 series 2526741
About Sachin Jain:
Sachin Jain is the Co-founder and CEO of Requestly, the browser-based API mocking and testing platform used by over 300,000 developers worldwide. After transforming a weekend Chrome extension project into a Y Combinator-backed company (one of 414 accepted from 17,000 applications), Sachin led Requestly through a successful acquisition by BrowserStack earlier this year. His journey from Google intern and Adobe engineer to successful founder showcases the power of solving your own problems first.
About Requestly:
Requestly is a developer-first platform that simplifies API mocking, testing, and network request interception directly in the browser. Born from a frustrated developer's need to debug minified JavaScript in production, Requestly eliminates the need for bulky proxy tools by offering a simple Chrome extension that lets developers modify headers, redirect scripts, and mock API responses. The platform has become essential for frontend teams building against incomplete backends.
Show Notes:
00:00 From Developer to Founder
00:32 The P0 Bug That Sparked a Business Idea
02:52 Building an MVP in 30 Minutes
03:04 Identifying a Problem: The Birth of Requestly
05:05 From JavaScript Redirector to API Platform Evolution
05:52 The Evolution of Requestly
08:21 Organic Growth Without Landing Pages or Marketing
08:55 Open Source vs. Monetization
10:20 The Open Core Model
12:10 Navigating Y Combinator: Tips for Success
13:11 What Made Sachin's YC Application Stand Out
14:50 Building a Developer Community
16:39 Company Culture as Product Differentiation
17:57 Acquisition Insights: Choosing the Right Buyer
19:45 Customer Support as Competitive Advantage
21:01 Post-Acquisition Journey
23:53 Lessons Learned: Growth and Adaptation as a Founder
24:38 Why Optimize for Right Buyer, Not Price
27:57 Personal Growth: From Engineer to CEO
81 episodes
Manage episode 514251140 series 2526741
About Sachin Jain:
Sachin Jain is the Co-founder and CEO of Requestly, the browser-based API mocking and testing platform used by over 300,000 developers worldwide. After transforming a weekend Chrome extension project into a Y Combinator-backed company (one of 414 accepted from 17,000 applications), Sachin led Requestly through a successful acquisition by BrowserStack earlier this year. His journey from Google intern and Adobe engineer to successful founder showcases the power of solving your own problems first.
About Requestly:
Requestly is a developer-first platform that simplifies API mocking, testing, and network request interception directly in the browser. Born from a frustrated developer's need to debug minified JavaScript in production, Requestly eliminates the need for bulky proxy tools by offering a simple Chrome extension that lets developers modify headers, redirect scripts, and mock API responses. The platform has become essential for frontend teams building against incomplete backends.
Show Notes:
00:00 From Developer to Founder
00:32 The P0 Bug That Sparked a Business Idea
02:52 Building an MVP in 30 Minutes
03:04 Identifying a Problem: The Birth of Requestly
05:05 From JavaScript Redirector to API Platform Evolution
05:52 The Evolution of Requestly
08:21 Organic Growth Without Landing Pages or Marketing
08:55 Open Source vs. Monetization
10:20 The Open Core Model
12:10 Navigating Y Combinator: Tips for Success
13:11 What Made Sachin's YC Application Stand Out
14:50 Building a Developer Community
16:39 Company Culture as Product Differentiation
17:57 Acquisition Insights: Choosing the Right Buyer
19:45 Customer Support as Competitive Advantage
21:01 Post-Acquisition Journey
23:53 Lessons Learned: Growth and Adaptation as a Founder
24:38 Why Optimize for Right Buyer, Not Price
27:57 Personal Growth: From Engineer to CEO
81 episodes
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