My waitlist grew 4x when I added one thing. Now I'm taking it away.

Three months ago, I announced Fileo – an AI tool that automatically organizes documents into your existing cloud storage.

The first week was great: 33 signups. But most came from my personal network. After that? 1-4 signups per week. For six weeks straight.

Then I added one thing: A Founders Discount. 33% off lifetime for the first 100 signups.

The result was immediate. 7, 13, 10, 9 signups per week. Nearly 4x what I was getting before.

So why am I removing it?

Because it did its job.

The discount helped me reach 99 signups. More importantly, it helped me learn something: the majority of people on my waitlist are now strangers. People who found Fileo through Google, ChatGPT, X – not through me.

That's the real validation. Not my friends being polite. Strangers deciding this problem is worth solving.

What the discount taught me:

• Incentives amplify interest – they don't create it

• Your network gives you the start, strangers give you the truth

• A waitlist number means nothing without knowing who signed up

Why it has to go:

I don't want to build a business on permanent discounts. If Fileo delivers real value – hours saved every month, documents that actually stay organized – it's worth full price.

The first 100 believers get rewarded. Everyone after that pays for the product, not a promotion.

Have you ever used a discount or incentive to grow your waitlist? Did it attract the right people – or just bargain hunters?