Y Combinator Alum: College Campus Inspiration to Conviction | Ep 212 with Brian Le Founder of Need

After engineering stints and an immigrant-family push toward a PhD, Brian Le accidentally fell into entrepreneurship, first by noticing Bird scooters on campus, then by solving students’ last-minute snack and supply crises with app-powered micro-convenience. A Y Combinator alum, Brian tells how COVID tested Need’s model, why blind ambition is a superpower in your twenties, and how he sees college (and AI) shaping the next generation of founders. Key Discussion Points Engineering Roots → Accidental Startup: How Bird scooters at UCLA sparked a “Why not?” moment. YC Crash Course: The plunge from no-name founders into the world’s top accelerator—and why every twenty-something should consider it. Pandemic Pivot: When campus shutdowns zeroed out revenue, why doubling down on your mission becomes your strongest play. Pitching 101: The art of “selling” your startup: story-driven conviction and painting a vivid vision five-to-ten years out. College’s True Value: It isn’t just classes—it’s community, hands-on experiments, and leadership labs for budding founders. AI as a Tool, Not a Threat: Why aspiring entrepreneurs should harness AI to supercharge impact, not replace human ingenuity. Key Takeaways Ignorance Is Bliss: Youthful “delulu” ambition fuels moonshot ventures that grizzled veterans second-guess. Sell the Vision: A great pitch isn’t a slide deck—it’s an emotional story backed by unwavering conviction. Embrace Crisis: A downturn isn’t a dead end—it’s a moment to build your foundation and outpace slow movers. College = Sandbox: Beyond tuition, campus life offers accelerators, orgs, and friendships that forge real-world entrepreneurs. Check them out https://wefunder.com/need Closing Thoughts Brian Le’s journey proves that true founders are often “accidental”—ignited by frustration, honed by trial, and scaled by audacious positivity. Whether you’re racing a scooter or racing a market, the college decade remains the ultimate launchpad for ventures that dare to deliver. Our Sponsors: * Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/FOUNDERSSTORY * Check out Northwest Registered Agent and use my code FOUNDERS for a great deal: https://northwestregisteredagent.com * Check out Plus500: https://plus500.com * Check out Rosetta Stone and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.rosettastone.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.