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# A decade after being rejected by YC
- URL: https://john.onolan.org/a-decade-after-being-rejected-by-yc/
- Published: 2024-03-22T17:57:28.000Z
- Updated: 2024-03-22T17:57:28.000Z
- Author: John O'Nolan
- Tags: Ghost

About 10 years ago I applied to [Y Combinator](https://www.ycombinator.com/?ref=john.onolan.org) with [Ghost](https://ghost.org/?ref=john.onolan.org). At the time we were trying to get $120k in funding for 7% equity — but got rejected (twice). So instead we launched on Kickstarter and then bootstrapped.

Today Ghost has earned over $25Million from customers for 0% equity, and all of [Y Combinator's own blogs](https://www.ycombinator.com/blog/?ref=john.onolan.org) run on Ghost.

Most of the time things don't work out quite the way you thought they would, but often they work out just fine.