Growth
Getting your first ten users when you have zero
The hardest users to get are the first ten. Forget scalable channels — the early game is manual, direct, and about learning as much as acquiring.
Scalable channels come later
Founders at zero users often reach for ads or content — scalable channels. But those need a working funnel and budget you don't have yet. The first ten users come from unscalable effort: reaching out directly, one at a time, to specific people who have the problem.
Go where they already are
Find the places your target segment already gathers — a subreddit, a Slack, a forum, a conference, a set of people you can email. Show up as a helpful participant, not a billboard. The first users almost always come from a direct, human path, not a funnel. That's normal, and it doesn't mean the idea won't scale later.
Treat them as a learning loop
The first ten users are worth more as evidence than as revenue. Watch them use the product. Note where they get confused, what they ignore, what makes them come back. Do they reach value without your help? If four of ten do, you have something; if fewer, activation is your next problem. The early game is about learning what works before you spend to scale it.
- First users come from unscalable, direct outreach — not ads or content.
- Go where your segment already gathers and show up helpful, not promotional.
- Treat early users as a learning loop; watch whether they reach value unaided.
Plan your first ten users
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