How to find your first paying user

I also noticed that relatives and close friends kind of ignore and dismiss your efforts, because they are more focused don you and have pre-dispositions about you. Basically, familiarity bias. They are more likely to invite you to go out together than review your project carefully. I received most valuable feedback from strangers or people who are not very familiar to me. Question: your advice is quite suitable for practical, business or professional application apps. But what about apps which predominantly have entertainment value?

The "infinite increase" framing is spot on. Going from 0 to 1 isn't just a number — it changes how you think about everything.

I'm at that exact stage right now. Building a tool that checks whether AI chatbots recommend your product. The problem is real — I've talked to creators who had no idea ChatGPT was recommending their competitor but not them. But turning that into a first paying user? Still working on it.

Your point about "people already thinking about the problem" hit home. I was wasting time posting in dev communities where nobody cares about AI visibility. The people who care are Etsy sellers, Gumroad creators, course builders — they're not on r/SideProject. They're in completely different rooms.

One thing I'd add: sometimes the signal isn't a LinkedIn like or comment. Sometimes it's a frustrated question buried in a niche subreddit — "why doesn't ChatGPT ever mention my shop?" Those people are practically raising their hand.

The hardest part isn't finding the channel. It's accepting that the channel you enjoy hanging out in isn't where your users are.

Love this. The "infinite increase" from 0 to 1 is exactly what I felt when my first user (not even paying, just someone who wasn't me) installed my Chrome extension.

I built Replies Mate to help customer service teams stop typing the same replies. At first, I had zero proof anyone would use it. Then I found one agent willing to test it. That one test turned into feedback, then improvements, then a second user, then a third.

That first "yes" changes everything.

Also, the signal-based approach you mentioned works. I started by engaging with people already talking about CX tools on LinkedIn, not blasting cold DMs. It takes longer, but the quality of conversation is completely different.

Thanks for sharing this.

This really resonates. I made this exact mistake with a missed-call recovery service for local businesses.

I had a real problem of landscapers and cleaners missing calls while they’re out working, but I put way more energy into building than into finding people already feeling the pain.

Then I hit the FCC/Twilio constraint after I’d already built the whole system and I still had zero users. No one to tell me whether the problem was worth solving around that limitation.

That’s why the 0 to 1 point matters so much. It’s not just first revenue. It’s the first real person pushing back on your idea before you disappear too far into the build.

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This is solid — especially the intent filtering part. Most people underestimate how much timing changes reply rates.

One thing I’ve noticed though — even with the right targeting, a lot of tools still lose people at the first impression layer.

If the name / positioning feels even slightly generic or similar to other “AI lead tools”, people hesitate before even trying it.

Curious — are you fully set on “IbexAI”, or still open to refining that as you dial in positioning?

The 0 to 1 jump is the hardest one because you're working completely blind — no feedback, no proof, just belief

Once you have that first paying customer everything changes — you have validation, direction and momentum

Most people quit just before that first step because the darkness feels permanent but it's not

That first sale doesn't just bring money — it brings clarity on who your real buyer is and why they paid

The “people already leaving a signal” point is the part that stands out to me.

I’m working on a consumer learning app, and I’ve been realizing that “people who want to learn” is almost useless as a target. It’s too broad.

A much better signal is someone already talking about study systems, saving posts about learning faster, complaining that they forget what they read, or trying different AI tools for self-education.

That person is way more likely to try something new than a random person in my network.

Helpful reminder that finding the right people matters more than polishing the perfect message.

oh well, what an interesting input, I personally have had difficulties in finding the right people but if you can find them accord to their behaviour then it can become a truly useful tool.

0-1 is real because its often the hardest part of the equation. Once that trheshold is crossed, its like a flywheel in motion - albeit maybe very slowly, but moving nonetheless - every input from there on is a degree of magnitude easier with compounding results.

Organic growth has done more for my early reach than any promotion push I've tried. Solving my own specific problem and getting it in front of people who relate generates a lot of type two. My take on building credibility is through transparency, and it seems to be resonating with people if my analytics are anything to go by.

I love how you called it an "infinite increase," though. ~

It describes it really well.

Transitioning from 0 to 1 does feel unique; I think for me, it all felt like pure theory up until then. Once that first user is there, it feels incredibly concrete very fast.

I agree with you about the point on the network, too. It’s such an obvious point to make, and while there’s definitely value there, it really doesn’t pay off unless you already have the relevant people.

For me, the most impactful point was to connect with people who are already thinking about the problem. It’s so simple, but it made me realize that in terms of talking to potential users and convincing them of the idea, there’s a massive difference between showing up with something new or being at the right place at the right time.

One thing I’ve noticed, though, is that even if you find those people, the method you use to engage them matters so much. I find that if your approach still feels like a "pitch," it almost negates that advantage, and that the best conversations usually start with a question like, "I saw you talking about this earlier, I'm really interested to hear about how you tackle X" as opposed to launching into what your product does right away. Have you had similar experiences or found particular opening questions or styles that have worked better?

love the infinite increase framing. the shift that happens once you get that first paying customer is real, it changes how you show up to every conversation. for service businesses especially, we found early customers came from the founder just doing the thing manually first and proving it works before building anything. that scrappy proof beats any landing page.

Finding the first paying user is always the toughest part. Would love to know what specifically worked for you — was it outbound, community, or warm network?

the 0 to 1 framing is right. but there's a layer before that. some founders can't even get their work seen because they lack the network signals that trigger credibility in the first place. not a lead problem, a visibility problem. working on something for that. search unsponsored if curious.

Its all about Starting with a signal-based approach turns a cold outreach into a warm conversation by meeting people exactly where their interest already lies.

Also going to your existing network can burn them out quickly. Especially if you trying to find product market fit. There is only so many times you can ask a person to check your new product before they start ignoring you.

This matches exactly what I’ve been doing with my project.

The score checker is free — people run it because they’re already wondering why ChatGPT doesn’t know about their business. They’ve already identified the problem. Just pray they want to move forward

The 0 to 1 framing is spot on. I just launched an SEO tool and the hardest part has been exactly this - going from "I think this solves a real problem" to having one person actually pay for it.

What resonated most is the point about finding people already engaged with the problem. I spent weeks posting in general startup communities with almost no traction. The moment I started looking for people actively asking questions about programmatic SEO and content scaling in niche communities, the conversations became completely different. They already understood the pain, so I didn't have to convince them the problem existed.

One thing I'd add: the signal doesn't always have to come from social engagement. Sometimes it's someone writing a frustrated blog post about their current workflow, or a job listing that reveals a company is trying to solve the exact problem you address. Those are often even higher intent than a LinkedIn like.

Great post - bookmarking this for the next time I feel stuck in the dark room.

Good one!

I can definetly reflect on the situation here, and IbezAI covers it wothout any pain and has smooth overflow of the process.

The "infinite increase" framing is one of the most accurate descriptions of the 0→1 phase I've come across. You have nothing, then you have something, and the whole room changes.

The signal-based approach resonates. I made the exact mistake of starting with my warm network — people were polite but not buyers. What eventually shifted my thinking was recognizing that early adopters are already living inside the problem. They're not waiting to be convinced the problem is real.

One thing I'd add from experience: the signal doesn't always come from LinkedIn engagement. Sometimes the strongest signal is what someone is searching for — someone Googling "how to audit a local business website" at 11pm is not casually browsing. They have a problem right now. That intent window is narrow and incredibly valuable.

Question for you: for products where the buyer isn't necessarily active on LinkedIn (e.g. small business owners, freelancers), what's your best alternative channel for finding those behavioral signals?

The 'infinite increase' concept really resonates — I'm sitting in that blacked out room right now with a SaaS product I just launched.

The insight about finding people already thinking about the problem is something I've been learning in real time. I made the mistake of reaching out to general contacts first and got polite responses but no real engagement. Then I found a Reddit thread where someone was actively frustrated with their current finance app's Fidelity connectivity — that's a person already halfway there as you describe. The conversion energy in that interaction was completely different.

The LinkedIn signal approach you describe — looking at who liked and commented on relevant posts rather than just job titles — is something I hadn't thought of systematically. I've been thinking about outreach as finding the right person, not finding the right signal. That's a meaningful reframe.

One question: for a B2C SaaS product targeting individuals rather than businesses, do you find LinkedIn signal-hunting still works or does it skew too heavily toward B2B use cases? Curious whether you've seen this approach work for consumer products.

The signal-based approach is underrated and I wish I had understood it earlier. I am building an AI-powered earnings analysis tool and spent my first few weeks posting in general startup communities. Almost zero traction.

What changed things was finding people already asking questions like "how do I quickly analyze an earnings report" on finance subreddits and Twitter. Those people converted to users at a completely different rate because the problem was already top of mind for them.

One thing I would add to your framework: the signals are not always obvious engagement like likes and comments. Sometimes the strongest signal is someone asking a very specific question that reveals they are deep in the problem. A generic "great post" like on LinkedIn is noise. But someone asking "how do you compare revenue guidance to analyst consensus" is practically raising their hand.

The 0 to 1 framing is perfect. Before my first real user I was guessing at everything. After that first user gave me honest feedback, every decision got clearer. The room really does get brighter.

i relate so much with this... i'm at the exact stage where i think i have something good, but no one tries it.
One thing i Would add is, you will contact a lot of people, and get no answer from any.
I'm working on finding "the one" yet

I’m stuck at the stage of getting people to actually try the product.

I can see people talking about the problem, but getting them to go from “yeah I relate” to actually checking it out has been tough.

How did you bridge that gap?

I'm currently in that 0→1 phase with my first Android app.

I recently released a minimal distraction blocker and I'm trying to find the first real users who actually need it, not just random installs.

What you said about finding people already thinking about the problem really resonates. I've noticed that general promotion brings installs, but feedback usually comes from niche communities where people actively struggle with focus or digital distractions.

Still figuring out what works best, but this "infinite increase" idea describes the stage perfectly.

The "infinite increase" concept is spot on. The signal-based approach works because you're not selling you're finding people who are already halfway there.

One thing we noticed: the fastest conversions came from people who weren't just aware of the problem they were exhausted by their current workflow. Too many tools, too many tabs, too much manual work just to qualify a lead. They didn't need convincing. They needed one less thing to manage.

Your job is just to show up at the right moment with the right simplicity.

This is where am at currently. Great to see how others are dealing with the situation

the camping analogy is perfect - sometimes the best product insight comes from just doing basic work and watching what breaks

Love the "infinite increase" concept — going from 0 to 1 really is the hardest step.

I'm experiencing this right now. I'm validating an invoice reminder tool for freelancers before writing any code. The hardest part isn't building — it's finding those early adopters who care enough to sign up before the product even exists.

Your point about early adopter type 1 (people who desperately need your product) resonates. I found mine by analyzing 67 pain points across 6 Reddit communities. The signal was clear: freelancers hate chasing late payments. Now the challenge is reaching them.

Great post — bookmarking this.

This is the underrated point in the whole thread. LinkedIn likes are one of the noisiest signals you can use because there's a whole ecosystem of people liking stuff purely for algorithmic reach, engagement pods, and reciprocal networking.

The highest-intent signals I've seen aren't likes at all. They're things like someone asking a specific question in a Reddit thread, or someone's company posting a job listing that implies they have the problem you solve, or someone publicly complaining about a competitor.

Likes tell you someone saw something. Questions tell you someone needs something. Totally different starting points for outreach.

The 0 to 1 concept hits hard. Building JewelViz AI jewelry photos for Indian jewellers. My early adopters are jewellers already searching for cheap photographers in Facebook groups. That's my signal. Going there now.

Really like the “0 → 1 = infinite increase” concept — that analogy hits hard. It perfectly captures how everything changes once you get that first paying user.

Also agree 100% on signal-based leads. Most people waste time blasting cold DMs, but targeting people already engaging with the problem is such a smarter approach. The LinkedIn method you mentioned is simple but powerful.

Curious though — how do you personally separate real high-intent users from people who are just casually liking posts?

The 0 to 1 point is so real. I'm going through this right now — I built financial templates and a business validation guide for startup founders and getting that first sale feels like the hardest thing in the world even when you know the product is solid. What you said about direct outreach resonates — I think I've been waiting for traffic to come instead of going directly to people. Did you find cold outreach worked better than community building for that first one?

The “0 to 1” framing really hit.

I’ve noticed the same — talking to people already engaging with the problem makes a huge difference vs cold blasting.

Did you get your first paying user this way too, or was it something more scrappy?

Finding the first user is the hardest part — I've been building Glow Journal (AI skincare app) and the plan is to target dermatologists first since each one brings their patient base. Curious if others have had success with a supply-side first approach in marketplaces?

Looks solid. Curious what your biggest challenge was building this?

Nice sound like something I could use

Thats really cool. I'm building a social media management tool solo and I have some doubts like the ones you mentioned. I don't really know how to reach clients, emailing, sending linkeding or social media messages or maybe just posting on webpages so I get the first users. Is a problem that everyone starting has once in his mind until the bright appears and you have 3 first users (i guess)

the 0 to 1 framing is exactly right. before your first paying customer you are not just at zero, you are operating on pure belief with no external validation. the signal based approach is so underrated. people who are already engaging with content about your problem are not just aware, they are actively looking. that is a completely different conversation than cold outreach to someone who might care someday. we found the same thing on the retention side. the users who gave us the most honest feedback were never the ones we surveyed. they were the ones we caught at the exact moment they decided to leave. same principle, right person right moment, completely different response. great share.

This hits close to home. I just launched Focus Today this week — a productivity tool for solo founders. 0 paying users right now. The "find people already thinking about the problem" insight is exactly what I needed. Going to stop trying to convince people they have the problem and start finding the ones who already know they do. Thanks for this.

New here just trying to figure it out

The signal-based approach makes a lot of sense. I've been building an AI writing tool and made the mistake of blasting generic outreach early on — zero response.

What's working better now is finding people who are already complaining about the exact problem I solve. The conversion intent is completely different.

Question: for B2C tools (not enterprise), do you find LinkedIn still works, or is it more about communities like this one?

the 0 to 1 step is definitely the hardest part. totally agree that blasting 500 generic emails is dead. but honestly, i've found that relying on linkedin likes can also be a bit of a trap. a lot of that engagement is just other founders networking with each other to boost the algorithm, not actual buying intent

I am currently at the stage where my Substack notes publisher is ready to be tested, but I’m short on users.

I tried gathering leads and cold outreach, but as you mentioned, that has lower ROI. I’ll definitely try the LinkedIn and companies approach for my scheduler.

I'm currently having the same problem getting my first paying users on my PRD generator app, I tried many stuff, optimizing my SEO to a 100-score, posting Blogs internally and externally, posting on subreddits like /saas, and posting on X & Linkedin. Still struggling, not even 1 signup...

Most founders look for customers in comfortable places. Friends, LinkedIn connections, warm intros. But first customers rarely come from comfortable places. Signal-based outreach is the uncomfortable but right move. Going to try this today.

The "infinite increase" analogy from the campsite is such a great hook and a perfect way to describe the 0 to 1 phase. It really is a completely different room once that first payment hits.

I completely agree with the signal-based approach. Blasting 500 cold emails is exhausting and just burns your domain reputation. Engaging with people already active in the niche makes so much more sense.

Quick question about how IbexAI handles this: How does the tool differentiate between someone liking a post just for "networking/support" versus someone who actually has the pain point?

Great read, and congrats on the project!

i want to connect you ,how can i?

The “infinite increase” framing is 🔥 — never heard it put like that but it’s exactly right.

One thing I’ve been noticing while trying to find early users is that the “signal” part is actually where most people struggle — not finding people, but interpreting what their behaviour actually means.

For example, in my case (health/peptide space), there’s tons of engagement — comments, discussions, people asking questions — but it’s messy. You can’t immediately tell who is just curious vs who is actively trying to solve a problem right now.

I’ve started thinking less about where to find early adopters and more about how to structure and filter those signals properly.

Curious — have you found any reliable ways to distinguish between “interested” vs “ready to act”?

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