Paul Graham discusses starting a company in Japan as an agency before deciding to build an enterprise product alone and almost running out of money before getting accepted to Y Combinator (YC). YC accepts startups, provides funding and mentorship, and connects them to investors. The best parts of YC are its branding, strong alumni network, and opportunities for investor connections and mentorship. Working at 500startups offers opportunities to meet people, form partnerships, impress customers, and work in a creative environment. When selling globally, companies should create a global image, listen to international customers, localize early, and use multi-lingual content marketing. Hiring globally requires networking, luck, and a willingness to experiment.