I help founders get their first 100 users — here's what I've learned
Most founders build first. Then panic about distribution.
I made that mistake too.
Now I help B2B founders do the opposite:
— Validate before building (talk to 20 potential users)
— Start distribution before launch (build an audience while you build the product)
— Focus on one channel, not five
What I've learned from working with founders:
— The product is rarely the problem. Distribution is.
— A simple landing page + waitlist beats a perfect product with no users.
— Conversations > campaigns. Talk to users early.
I'm also building TempQR — a tool for freelancers to share expiring links (12,000+ links created).
If you're struggling to get your first users, drop your challenge below. Happy to share thoughts.
What's your biggest hurdle right now?
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The "one channel, not five" point is underrated. Most early founders spread thin trying to be everywhere. The compounding effect of going deep on a single channel before expanding is real.
My challenge right now: getting organic traffic from niche communities where the audience is highly specific (think: people interested in traditional Chinese astrology tools). The product has strong organic intent but the communities are fragmented across Reddit, Facebook groups, and niche forums. Any experience with discovery-led products where the audience doesn't really hang out in one place?
This is a tough one — fragmented audiences are harder than small audiences.
When your audience doesn't hang out in one place, you have two options:
Option 1: Go where they already are (even if fragmented)
— Pick the 2-3 most active communities (one Reddit sub, one Facebook group, one niche forum)*
— Spend 2-3 weeks in each, sequentially (not simultaneously)
— Become the helpful expert before mentioning your product
Option 2: Create a central hub they come to
— Start a newsletter, YouTube channel, or podcast about traditional Chinese astrology
— Pull the fragmented audience toward you
— This takes longer, but you own the channel
For discovery-led products like yours, the intent is already there. The challenge is signal vs noise.
Quick question: what's the #1 question people in these communities ask repeatedly? That's your content gold.
Would love to hear more about the product.
This is so true. I've made this mistake. Having said that, my current monthly expenses are $20.00 anthropic, $20 gemini $59 Appolo, so it's not like I deserve much traction when my expenses are so low. Any strategies for traction would be really appreciated.
Honestly, your expenses aren't the problem. $100/month for tools is fine.*
The problem is spending without a system.
Here's what I'd do with your budget ($100/month):
— $0: Reddit & Indie Hackers participation (3 weeks of helping before mentioning your product)
— $0: LinkedIn outreach (manual, personalized, 10-20 messages/day)
— $50: Google Ads (test 5-10 different angles, find what gets clicks)
— $50: Keep Apollo
But here's the real strategy:
Your $100/month isn't too low. You just need clarity on where to spend it.
What's your product? Who's your ideal customer?
Thanks. That's great advice. I will do that. Its a coaching platform steering founders to enterprise. ICP business coaches.
Coaching platform steering founders to enterprise — that's a high-value niche.
Business coaches who sell to enterprises face a different challenge: they're not just selling a tool, they're selling credibility.
Here's what I'd add to your strategy:
— Case studies are your currency. One enterprise client success story is worth 100 testimonials.
— Partner with a few founders first. Get them results, then ask for warm intros to their network.
— LinkedIn works for this. Enterprise decision-makers are there. But don't pitch — share insights about founder struggles.
You're not hunting for 100 coaches. You're hunting for 5 who will become your case studies.
What's the #1 problem your coaching platform solves for founders?
Clarity around their business idea. The Coaches can run detailed business analysis reports for their clients, and lead generation. the USP is its a solution based platform. There's an inbuilt booking calendar, seemless zoom integration and 40 lesson plan templates. I think you're right. 5 Enterprise decision makers. Makes sense. I do agree with you regarding the power of LinkedIn. It's incredibly insular though. Are there any Reddit and Indie Hacker groups they hang out in?
This is a solid USP — 'solution‑based platform' with built‑in booking, Zoom, and lesson templates.
The clarity piece is key. Most coaches struggle to articulate their value. If your platform helps them run business analysis reports for clients, that's a real differentiator.
5 enterprise decision‑makers is the right target. Here's how I'd find them:
— LinkedIn: Search for 'Head of L&D', 'Talent Development', 'Director of Coaching' at companies with 500+ employees
— Warm intros: Ask your current coach network: 'Who do you know who makes buying decisions for coaching platforms?'
— One case study first: Get one enterprise client, document everything, then use that to approach the next four
What's the #1 feature enterprise buyers ask for when you show them the platform?
The lead generation tool and the way it seemlessly draws contacts.
That's the part that surprised me too — how smoothly it pulls contacts without feeling clunky.
Most lead gen tools feel like scraping. This one feels like importing.
What type of contacts are you trying to gather? B2B? Creators? Something else?
This is great feedback. Tbh I fundamentally underestimated how difficult distribution is. I'm looking for a 50/50 co-founder who has been there done that when it comes to distribution. If you know anyone who loves my vision and would like to chat with me, I'd really appreciate your referral! Or anyone else for that matter reading this, who is that person or knows a person, if they contact me, I will discuss this proposal further.
This is honest — and rare.
'I fundamentally underestimated how difficult distribution is.'
Most founders won't admit that. They blame the product, the market, the timing.
You're looking for a 50/50 co-founder with distribution experience. That's a fair ask, but here's the reality:
— Someone with proven distribution skills usually has options
— To attract them, you need more than a vision
— You need traction, a clear offer, or a compelling story
What's your product? And what traction do you have so far?
If you share more details, I might know someone — or at least point you in the right direction.
Wishing you luck.
This is really true. I've noticed the same — building feels easier than getting users.
I'm currently experimenting with simple websites and trying to understand where traffic should come from before investing too much time.
The idea of starting distribution before building makes a lot of sense.
Curious — what channel usually works best for getting the first 10–20 users?
Love what you're doing. We're building a end-to-end tax compliance (VAT/Sales tax) for SaaS startups. I've been having trouble getting into touch with founders to ask about the specific pain points they face with international tax.
Point me in the right direction please.
how do you get in touch with your target (for interviews - market research)- b2b saas founders, sdrs and agencies (selling a 'better' cold email saas). Here's the twist. I need 10 interviews in 3-4 days. I'm a ghost (no profiles, nothing).
This is a tight timeline — 10 interviews in 3-4 days with no existing profiles. You're essentially a ghost. But it's possible if you focus on direct, high-intent channels and skip the "build presence first" advice.
Here’s a 3‑channel assault plan for your timeline:
Even without a profile, you can search and find direct email addresses. Target:
Job titles: Founder, CEO, Head of Sales, SDR Manager, VP of Revenue
Companies: B2B SaaS, cold‑email agencies, sales engagement platforms
Keywords in their activity: cold email, outbound, lead gen
How to get their email:
Use free email finders like Hunter.io (limited searches), Apollo.io (free tier), or Prospeo.
Many founders list their email in their LinkedIn “Contact info” or their company website.
Message template (keep it under 120 words):
Subject: 10 min research – cold email SaaS
Hey [Name],
I’m building a better cold‑email tool and need 10 quick calls with founders/SDRs this week.
No pitch. No demo. Just 10 minutes to learn how you handle personalisation, deliverability, and follow‑ups today.
In return, I’ll share a free deliverability audit (or a $50 gift card – your choice).
Would you be open to a quick chat?
👉 This works because you’re asking for advice, not selling.
You don’t need a profile to post in many subreddits and on Indie Hackers. Use a temporary account.
Reddit – r/SaaS, r/sales, r/startups, r/entrepreneur
Post (copy‑paste):
Title: Need 10 founders/SDRs for 10-min research call (no sales – just advice)
I’m building a cold‑email SaaS and want to understand:
How you personalise at scale
What breaks in your deliverability
How you follow up
What you get: a free deliverability audit or a $50 thank‑you.
Comment or DM me. I’ll reach out.
People love giving advice when there’s no pitch. You’ll get DMs quickly.
Indie Hackers – “Ask for Feedback” or “SaaS Builders” group
Post the same message. Indie Hackers is very supportive of early‑stage founders doing research.
Since you’re building a cold‑email tool, use it to prospect for interviews.
Build a list of 100–200 B2B SaaS founders / SDRs / agency owners from:
Apollo.io free tier
Crunchbase (recently funded SaaS companies)
Product Hunt (makers who launched a sales tool)
Email sequence (2 emails only – you don’t have time for more):
Email 1 (Day 1):
Subject: 10 min research – cold email SaaS
Hi [Name],
I’m building a new cold‑email platform and need 10 quick calls with people like you – founders, SDRs, or agency owners who send cold emails every day.
No pitch. Just 10 minutes to learn about your workflow.
In return: a free deliverability audit or a $50 gift card.
Would you be open to a quick chat?
Email 2 (Day 2 or 3 – follow‑up):
Subject: Re: 10 min research call
Hey [Name],
Still looking for a few more people to talk to this week. I’d really value your perspective.
10 minutes – no sales, just questions.
Happy to share the audit or gift card either way.
Any chance you could spare the time?
⚠️ Important tips for ghost mode
Do Don’t
Use a clear, professional name in your email signature (can be your real name) Create a fake persona – you’ll lose trust
Send emails from a domain that looks legitimate (even a Gmail address is fine for research) Spam the same message to 500 people
Personalise the first line (reference their role or a post they made) Write a long, salesy email
Offer a small incentive ($50 gift card or free audit) – it works Ask for a paid “consultation”
📅 Your 3‑day schedule
Day 1 morning: Set up LinkedIn search + email finder. Send 50 personalised emails.
Day 1 afternoon: Post on Reddit (3 subreddits) + Indie Hackers.
Day 2: Follow up on unanswered emails. Reply to Reddit/IH comments. Send 50 more emails.
Day 3: Focus on scheduling calls from warm leads. Use a tool like Calendly to book them fast.
If you stay focused, 10 interviews in 3 days is absolutely doable – even without a profile. Most people will say yes because you’re asking for advice, not selling
Distribution is exactly where I am stuck right now. I am 2.5 months into building ProcureHelper. We build fully custom procurement platforms for mid-market companies, no templates, no configurations, built around how each client actually works. The product is built, cold outreach is running, Google Ads are live. Zero clients signed yet. My biggest hurdle is that my buyers, Controllers and VPs of Finance, are hard to reach through traditional channels and respond best to warm introductions. Curious if you have seen B2B founders crack that buyer profile specifically.
This is a tough B2B buyer profile — and you're right, warm intros are the key.
Controllers and VPs of Finance don't browse Reddit or TikTok. They don't respond to cold emails from unknown domains.
What I've seen work for founders cracking this profile:
— Partner with consultancies or accounting firms. They already have trust with these buyers. One intro from them is worth 100 cold emails.
— Offer a free audit. 'We'll analyze your procurement process and show you where you're losing money.' No commitment. Low risk for them.
— Leverage LinkedIn — but the right way. Not 'Hey, buy my product.' But comment on their posts, share insights about procurement inefficiencies. Become a peer, not a vendor.
Quick question: have you tried reaching out to system integrators or ERP consultants? They're often in the room when these decisions are made.
Also — cold outreach is running, Google Ads are live. Zero clients. That's expensive feedback. The message isn't landing yet.
What's your current cold email open rate? That'll tell you if the problem is subject line or audience.
lol, you again. but yeah, I've built something already. Lesson learned.
I was building the tool I wish I had when I was in EMS. An incident would happen, we'd document, investigate, check off boxes, then call it a day.
Then boom, similar incident happens again.
Hopefully what I've built can help mitigate that, but idk.
The people I've talked to on LinkedIn are even really potential customers, but people who have the experience but are now in a different lane (like consulting or something). They've validated the idea! They see the same gap I do! But it's disheartening when they say that my potential customers are slow to adopt, limited budgets, etc.
But I'm going to keep on keeping on.
This is the hardest kind of validation — when the experts agree with you, but the buyers don't move.
'They see the same gap I do! But my potential customers are slow to adopt, limited budgets.'
That's not a product problem. That's a market timing or distribution problem.
What I've seen work in slow-adoption markets (healthcare, government, EMS):
— Find the early adopters. There's always 5-10% who move faster. Find them. Serve them well. They become your case studies.
— Sell the outcome, not the tool. 'This prevents repeat incidents' is good. 'This saved us $X in liability' is better.
— Partner with someone already in the door. Consultants, insurers, associations — they have the relationships.
The fact that you built this because you lived the pain is your biggest asset.
'I'm going to keep on keeping on' — that's the mindset that wins.
What's one small win you've had so far? Even a good conversation counts.
Okay, on board with that. But, how do you find those early adopters? I have a open door at my last EMS stop, so I'll be knocking on their door for sure; but still hunting for the rest of that 5-10% of early adopters.
My small win(s) - honestly, the first time I deployed the site was, idk transformational?! I mean I must confess, I'm not super techy. I can read code, but it's tough for me to start writing it, so having tools like Claude Code (and access to software engineer buddies) was wildly helpful. It was wild to go from a dev build to a production build, and to have a URL to actually share was huge! It finally felt real. I'd say the other small win that kept me going was the first round of conversations I was having with people in the industry. Those experts we spoke about in the other thread; hearing them validate the problem AND the proposed solution was wind in my sails.
That 'production build' moment is huge. From dev to URL — that's when it becomes real. Congrats on that.
On finding early adopters (beyond your last EMS stop):
Here's what I've seen work for niche B2B products like yours:
LinkedIn — but the right way
— Search for job titles: 'EMS coordinator', 'paramedic supervisor', 'operations manager EMS'
— Don't pitch. Ask: 'What's your biggest operational headache right now?'
— One response can lead to five referrals
Industry associations and events
— Most EMS associations have member directories or slack groups
— Offer a free audit or consultation — not your product
Find the consultants
— People who used to work in EMS and now consult
— They have the network AND the trust
— Partner with them (referral fee, free license, etc.)
Your first customer is your best marketer
— Do whatever it takes to make them successful
— Ask for a case study or testimonial
— Ask: 'Who else do you know who struggles with this?'
The experts who validated your idea? Ask them: 'Who's one person I should talk to next?'
You're not hunting for 100 customers. You're hunting for 5 who will become your case studies.
Keep going — you're closer than you think
The "what are you currently doing to solve this problem?" question hits differently when your target users are non-technical small business operators. They've often normalized their workarounds so completely that they don't even frame it as a problem — it's just "how things work." Describing their own process back to them is often what creates the lightbulb moment.
For very niche B2B markets, the "one channel" advice also becomes literal — sometimes it's a single Facebook group or regional industry association where your first 20 users all know each other. The smaller and more specific the community, the faster trust compounds. You stop being a vendor and start being a peer who built something useful.
One signal I've found more reliable than "would you pay?": are they already spending money on a partial solution — a generic tool that sort of works, a freelancer, a manual workaround they've cobbled together? If yes, the conversation shifts from hypothetical to "how much are you currently spending on this?" That's where real buying intent lives.
This is a really important nuance.
'They've normalized their workarounds so completely that they don't even frame it as a problem — it's just how things work.'
That's the trap. If they don't know it's a problem, they won't search for a solution.
What I love:
— Describing their own process back to them creates the lightbulb moment
— In niche B2B, one Facebook group might be the entire market
— Trust compounds faster when you're a peer, not a vendor
The 'are they already spending money on a partial solution?' signal is gold. That's real intent, not hypothetical.
Quick question: how do you find those niche communities when you're starting from zero? Search? Word of mouth? Something else?
Thanks for adding this depth — saving it.
Talked to 20 people for my last product. Every one said they'd pay. Zero did when I launched. The gap between "would you use this" and "here's my card" is where most validation dies. Now I skip the question entirely and ask what they're spending money on today.
This is the realest validation lesson in this thread.
'The gap between 'would you use this' and 'here's my card' is where most validation dies.'
That's why 'would you pay?' is useless. People say yes to be nice.
What actually works:
— 'What are you spending money on today?' (real data)
— 'Here's a pre-order link. If it doesn't work, I'll refund you.' (real commitment)
— 'I'm building this. Want early access?' (real interest)
How do you validate now — and what's your #1 signal that someone will actually pay?
"ask what they're spending money on today" - That's actually interesting, if also framed as "and I can save you money"!
The "first 100" milestone hits differently when you're selling a physical product. You can't iterate in a week — lead time is 6 months. So the first 100 isn't just validation, it's a production commitment. That changes everything about community building: you need people who trust you before the product exists, not after. Build-in-public has been the only thing that's moved the needle for me at this stage.
The "conversations > campaigns" point is the one founders learning paid advertising need to hear most.
I've seen a lot of founders turn on ads the moment organic stops scaling, hoping paid will take over. What usually happens: they discover very quickly that paid doesn't fix a message problem, it just surfaces it faster and with a price tag attached. Every click that doesn't convert is feedback, but it's expensive feedback.
The useful thing about paid at the first-100 stage — if you use it at all — is not volume. It's message testing. Small budgets, five or six different angles, watch which one gets CTR above 2%. That tells you something real about what your audience actually cares about, faster than two weeks of organic posting. Then you take that winning angle and apply it everywhere else: landing page, cold outreach, your IH posts.
The mistake is treating paid like a tap you can turn up once you need users. It doesn't work that way until you know exactly which message converts, which audience responds, and what your economics look like. Most founders who struggle with paid just tried to skip that discovery phase.
Congrats on TempQR — 12,000 links created is a real signal. If you ever want to run a small paid test to validate your messaging, DM me, happy to look at it with you.
This is one of the most useful breakdowns of paid ads I've read.
'Paid doesn't fix a message problem — it just surfaces it faster and with a price tag attached.'
That's the line every founder needs before spending $1 on ads.
What I love:
— Small budgets, 5-6 angles, watch CTR > 2% — that's real message testing.
— Winning angle then applies everywhere (landing page, cold outreach, IH posts).
— The mistake is treating paid like a tap you turn up when you need users.
I haven't touched paid yet because I'm still in discovery. But this makes me think differently.
Quick question: what's your rule of thumb for budget per angle in the testing phase?
And thanks for the offer — I'll keep it in mind.
"Focus on one channel, not five" is the piece of advice I see founders resist most, and regret ignoring most.
The argument for spreading across channels sounds logical: more surface area, more chances to find what works. In practice it just means no channel gets enough signal to learn from. You end up with 20 Reddit comments, 15 Twitter posts, and 10 cold emails — none of which is enough data to know if the channel works or if your message works.
One thing I'd add from the paid acquisition side: the channel decision for first 100 users is different from the channel decision for scaling. For first 100, the goal is signal, not reach. Paid ads at this stage — if you do use them — should be $5-10/day, running 4-5 different ad angles against a small audience. Not to get users, but to see which pain point gets clicks. That tells you what your organic messaging should be.
The founders I've seen get first 100 users fastest usually do: one outbound channel (cold email or DMs) + one platform where their users already hang out (Reddit, Slack communities, whatever). Two things, not ten.
What kind of product are you helping founders with most often? Curious if the "one channel" rule plays out differently for B2C vs B2B.
This is a really sharp distinction.
'The channel decision for first 100 users is different from the channel decision for scaling.'
Most founders never think this way. They pick a channel and stick with it forever — or jump between channels without learning anything.
What I love:
— First 100 users: goal is signal, not reach
— $5-10/day paid test just to see which pain point gets clicks
— One outbound channel + one platform where users already hang out
To answer your question: I mostly help B2B founders (SaaS, agencies, service businesses).
For B2B, the 'one channel' rule usually means LinkedIn outreach + a niche Slack or Reddit community. LinkedIn for outbound, community for inbound.
For B2C, I'd guess TikTok/Instagram Reels + a forum like Reddit.
What's your experience with the 'one channel' rule in B2B vs B2C?
The "focus on one channel, not five" advice is something I wish more founders internalized. When I was working on distribution for a dev tool, I spread across Twitter, Reddit, HN, Discord communities, and LinkedIn simultaneously. The result was mediocre presence everywhere and strong presence nowhere.
What actually moved the needle: I picked Reddit (specifically niche subreddits where my target users hung out), spent 3 weeks genuinely participating in discussions before ever mentioning what I was building, and those conversations turned into my first 15 users. Those 15 gave better feedback than any survey would have.
One thing I'd push back on slightly: the "talk to 20 potential users" before building can become a trap if you're not careful about who those 20 are. I've seen founders talk to 20 people who say "yeah, I'd use that" and then build something nobody actually pays for. The difference is usually whether those 20 people are actively trying to solve the problem right now vs just agreeing it would be nice to have.
The question I've started asking instead of "would you use this?" is "what are you currently doing to solve this problem?" If the answer is "nothing," the pain isn't real enough. If they describe some janky workaround involving spreadsheets and manual steps, that's where the opportunity lives.
12,000+ links on TempQR is solid traction. Are most of those from organic search or direct referrals?
This is gold — especially the correction on 'talk to 20 users.'
'The difference is whether those 20 people are actively trying to solve the problem right now vs just agreeing it would be nice to have.'
That's the gap. 'Nice to have' doesn't pay. 'Hurts right now' does.
What I love:
— 3 weeks of genuine participation before mentioning your product. That's discipline.
— 'What are you currently doing to solve this?' — better than 'would you pay?'
— If they describe a janky workaround (spreadsheets, manual steps), that's the opportunity.
To answer your question about TempQR:
Most of the 12,000+ links are from initial launch momentum and organic reach. I haven't nailed distribution yet — still in the 'finding the right channel' phase.
What you did (pick one niche channel, go deep) confirms where I need to focus.
What's your #1 tip for finding the right niche subreddit when you're starting from zero?
The audit-first approach in Step 1 is underrated. Most founders want to jump straight to content creation, but fixing the existing foundation first is what actually moves the needle. The programmatic SEO angle in Step 2 is also solid — repeatable patterns compound far faster than one-off posts. One thing I would add: the AI overview landscape is shifting fast. Being cited in ChatGPT or Gemini responses often correlates with having clear, authoritative answers to specific questions — so structuring content around exact questions (not just keywords) is increasingly important. Thanks for sharing a concrete process rather than vague advice.
This is a great addition — especially the point about AI overviews.
'Being cited in ChatGPT or Gemini responses correlates with having clear, authoritative answers to specific questions.'
That's a shift most SEO advice misses. Keywords alone won't get you cited by AI. Clear answers to exact questions will.
What I love about the original post:
— Step 1 (audit-first) is underrated. Most founders skip straight to content.
— Step 2 (repeatable patterns) compounds faster than one-off posts.
— The spreadsheet-first approach forces clarity before automation.
Quick question: how do you find the 'exact questions' people are asking? Reddit? AnswerThePublic? Something else?
Thanks for sharing this — saving it.
Hey, I saw your post about ecommerce. I’m building a Shopify store too. I’d like to connect and maybe collaborate.”
Hey — thanks for reaching out.
What are you building? Would love to hear more about your store.
Always open to connecting with other founders in the ecommerce space.
What kind of collaboration did you have in mind?