after many attempts, I was able to break it

Hello @saran.

Congratulations on the 100+ users, a notable milestone.

In response to your questions:

1. What others did to scale the product and user base ?

Mate, this would take too long to answer, Google will throw up the answers far quicker. However at your stage, with so many unknowns, you are looking at unscalable growth tactics, and controlled growth.

2. Is there any generic or growth tactics that product itself automates growth ?

Growth tactics give spurts. Growth systems give scalable growth. Automation can be in both of them. If you are looking for tactics, again Google it, in fact, query it man, come on, hahah. If you are looking for systems, it is too early for you by a long shot.

Even if all 100+ stayed on, I wouldn't even say you have achieved problem / solution fit, as no one is paying. Scalable growth is typically tested mid to end seed, and initiated at Series A. You are still in pre-seed, MVP up and running, some numbers on the board.

If you attempt to put on the afterburners for growth at this moment in time, you will likely scale yourself out of business, ie churn and burn your house down.

3. Should I add value to customers in each and everything ?

No. You are finite in resources, time, etc. Add value where it is needed, wanted, paid for, the most. Take requests with a pinch of salt, actually a bucket. Early adopters may not be indicative of what the market wants, they may well be too ahead of the curve, as well as having other traits that early adopters have.

4. How to add value silently (not sending emails etc..) ?

I don't understand the question. You mean you don't want to be annoying? I don't consider that adding value, that is basic respect and decency. Can you rephrase the question?

5. What other startups did it ? with their initial user base ?

Other startups, well, the ones with their heads screwed on the right way, learn from them, incentivise them and position them to become their cheerleaders and evangelists. And treat them like gold dust, highly personalised prompt service. No need to go overboard though.

My advice:

1. Sit tight, and see what they do

2. Talk to them, being silent isn't adding anybody any value when the opposite is that both you and a user could be in a mutually beneficial interactive process. You will learn many things from them. Treat what they say for what they are, data points, some are useful, some less so, look for consensus, although results could be statistically insignificant, but then stats and data can't go where you can.

3. Keep an eye on important metrics, retention, churn, frequency of usage, length of usage, monthly active users, customer satisfaction (not NPS, I don't like it myself, although that was excessively biased of me, you may find it useful, so check that out and draw your own conclusion) etc, etc.

Cheers, Ace.

I would suggest staying super focused on the single feature that customers get current value from. I think it is hard to add value ( new features ) without first getting a lot of feedback from many customers.

Why do they currently use your product? What is it that they are trying to accomplish?