Starting a new venture is a challenging process, and finding the first 100 users is a critical milestone for many founders. In an engaging discussion on Hacker News (HN), various entrepreneurs shared their experiences on how they sourced their first set of users. Their responses offer a diverse range of strategies, from leveraging existing networks to experimenting with SEO, Reddit, and direct messaging. Below are key insights drawn from the conversation.
1. Leveraging Existing Networks and Email Lists
Several founders emphasized the power of existing networks. One founder, running three SaaS businesses, highlighted how an email list from a previous product became a primary channel:
- First Product: Automated forum messages brought the initial users.
- Second Product: Emailing a newsletter list made it profitable instantly.
- Third Product: Despite gaining 10,000 free users through email outreach, converting them to paid customers remains a challenge, underscoring the need to target the right audience and experiment with pricing.
The takeaway? Once a founder builds a solid email list or viral social loop, launching new products becomes easier. However, having a free user base does not guarantee conversions without aligning the product’s value with customer needs.
2. Social Media Communities: Reddit, Facebook, and LinkedIn
For niche products, Reddit emerged as a powerful tool:
- Founders tapped into specific subreddits, such as those focused on meditation, colorblindness, and productivity apps, to generate initial interest.
- However, participants cautioned that Reddit communities can be unforgiving toward self-promotion, so it's crucial to engage genuinely and offer real value.
Similarly, LinkedIn played a role for B2B founders by providing targeted outreach:
- One entrepreneur reached out directly to potential customers via LinkedIn and leveraged word-of-mouth from those initial contacts to scale.
Another founder shared success using Facebook groups to generate interest, demonstrating that social platforms aren't limited to just B2C outreach.
3. Cold Outreach: A Polarizing but Effective Strategy
Many entrepreneurs admitted to relying on cold emails or direct messages to get their first customers. Some founders found cold outreach highly effective, especially for niche B2B products, while others experienced backlash:
- A marketing SaaS founder built an outbound email pipeline using Apollo.io, cautioning that deliverability is a challenge.
- Another participant argued that while cold outreach is technically spam, the effectiveness lies in targeting the right audience and crafting personalized messages.
The general consensus was that cold outreach is a practical early-stage strategy but should not be the primary long-term approach, especially for low-revenue products.
4. SEO and Content Marketing: Building Organic Traffic
SEO emerged as a reliable long-term strategy for several founders. One entrepreneur initially targeted a niche — "website translation for Squarespace" — and gradually expanded use cases as the company grew.
- Another participant found success through blog posts, which generated organic traffic from Hacker News and Reddit.
- However, there was a warning: SEO takes time and may not be immediately effective for founders in competitive markets.
Founders agreed that SEO not only drives organic growth but also validates the product-market fit by revealing what potential customers search for.
5. Paid Ads: Efficient but Expensive
For some founders, Google, LinkedIn, and Capterra ads proved effective channels for acquiring users:
- One entrepreneur mentioned that while Product Hunt and Hacker News generated interest, they mostly attracted curious developers rather than paying customers. In contrast, ads targeted directly at buyers produced more reliable results.
Founders emphasized that ad platforms like Google require close monitoring to prevent budget wastage. Paid ads are not always feasible for bootstrapped startups, but for those with some budget, they provide a fast track to user acquisition.
6. Viral Loops and Product-Led Growth
Social sharing and viral loops were cited as powerful mechanisms for growth:
- A SaaS founder mentioned using social features like reactions, streaks, and summary videos to encourage users to engage with and share the product.
- Building such loops into the product itself makes each interaction more valuable, as users derive increasing utility through their network’s participation.
However, not every product can achieve viral growth. Some founders noted that in saturated markets, niching down and targeting a specific use case might be the only way forward.
7. Lessons on Pricing and Product-Market Fit
The discussion also revealed that pricing and competition are recurring challenges. One founder found themselves struggling to convert free users to paying customers because their product was competing with CapCut’s free offerings. The advice? If the market is crowded, niching down or offering unique features like B2B APIs or automation may improve chances of success.
Similarly, another founder stressed the importance of identifying an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). Without it, efforts become scattered, making it difficult to achieve product-market fit and meaningful growth.
Conclusion: Diverse Paths to the First 100 Users
The stories shared on HN highlight that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to acquiring the first 100 users. Founders must experiment with multiple channels—whether it's cold outreach, social media, SEO, or ads—to find what works best for their product and audience.
The journey often involves learning from early failures, adjusting strategies, and iterating based on user feedback. Regardless of the chosen channel, persistence, creativity, and adaptability remain essential qualities for any founder navigating the early stages of a startup.