Built an AI pitch coach for founders and here's the first week of validation (small budget)
Hey IH! đź‘‹
I built PitchMode — a tool where founders record their 60-second pitch and get instant AI feedback on delivery: filler words, pacing, clarity, confidence.
What I have:
- Working MVP (browser-based, no install)
- Freemium model: 5 free evaluations/month, $7/month for unlimited
My validation plan: I'm running a 2-week sprint with $200 budget to answer one question: GO or NO-GO? Success = 100 sign-ups + 3 paying users.
Where I am now: Day 7 of 14
- 24 sign-ups so far
- 10 pitch evaluations completed
- $30 spent
What I'd love to know from you:
1. Does this sound like something you'd use before an investor meeting or demo day?
2. $7/month — too cheap? Too expensive? Right range?
3. What channels would you test if you were me?
pitchmode.org free to try, no credit card required
Will post an update with full metrics at the end of week 2! đź“Š
Congratulations on your launch. It looks impressive! What channels are you exploring to attract early users?
Thanks! Right now testing a few channels: Reddit (organic posts + small paid experiment), directories (like Betalist and peerpush). What's worked best for you in early traction?
Nice, that’s a solid mix. Reddit in particular has worked best for me in early traction when it’s done founder-led and community-first (not promo-heavy).
What I’ve seen work well is focusing on a handful of very specific subreddits, sharing learnings or build-in-public posts, and then lightly engaging in comments rather than pushing links. It tends to outperform directories for quality feedback and early users.
If you want, happy to share what’s worked well on Reddit for similar early-stage launches.
And how long did it usually take before you started seeing consistent traction from Reddit? I'm on week 2 and getting sign-ups but trying to set realistic expectations.
Yeah, usually it takes around 3–6 weeks before you start seeing consistent traction on Reddit. Weeks 1–2 are often the “testing” phase, you’ll get some sign-ups and early feedback, but patterns haven’t fully emerged yet.
By weeks 3–4, you usually start noticing which subreddits respond best, what kind of posts actually drive engagement, and which comment strategies pull people in. The key tends to be:
Focusing on 2–3 subreddits that genuinely fit your audience
Sharing posts that are experience-based or “lessons learned”, rather than just launch announcements
Engaging thoughtfully in comments instead of pushing links
If you’re already seeing sign-ups in week 2, that’s actually a good sign, it means you’re on the right track. Most founders plateau not because Reddit doesn’t work, but because they spread themselves too thin or don’t optimize post formats and timing.
I also help founders map out the right subreddits, post styles, and engagement approach so they hit traction faster without burning accounts. If you want, I can share what’s working best for early-stage launches right now, it can save a lot of time and make those first few weeks way more predictable.