Focus on the 'Easiest First 10 Customers' to Start

Gokul Rajaram’s advice to find the easiest first customers echoes a core principle of product thinking: obsess over the customer problem, not the solution. Before writing a line of code, founders should conduct customer discovery calls to validate user needs and gain clarity on the problem they are aiming to solve. This initial research is crucial for identifying potential believers who can effectively co-design the product with you. To find these initial users, go where they already gather to discuss their problems. Niche subreddits, LinkedIn Groups, and industry-specific Slack or Discord communities are fertile ground for identifying people who feel a particular pain point most acutely. The strategy isn't to pitch, but to listen, participate in conversations, and add value to build a reputation within the community first. Once you've identified potential early adopters, personalized cold outreach can be highly effective. Research your prospects on LinkedIn to understand their roles and recent activities, and read company blogs or announcements to find relevant hooks. A hyper-personalized email that addresses a specific pain point and offers immediate value, such as a relevant case study or a free resource, can dramatically increase response rates compared to generic templates. YC partner Gustaf Alströmer advises founders to narrow their focus to accelerate iteration and build a strong product foundation. Instead of trying to sell to a large enterprise, target specific users within that organization who are empowered to adopt new technology. This selective approach avoids lengthy sales cycles and ensures you get actionable feedback from those who will actually use the product. A structured approach to outreach can help build a consistent pipeline of discovery conversations. Start by creating a list of "perfect prospects" hand-selected from platforms like LinkedIn based on how well they align with your ideal customer profile. Then, plan a multi-touch cadence of 3-5 follow-ups over a couple of weeks, keeping the messages brief and referencing the same personalization point. The goal with these first customers is not revenue, but learning. YC General Partner Ankit Gupta emphasizes that paying customers provide sharper, more honest feedback than free users. Charging from the start, even a small amount, acts as a filter to ensure you're talking to users who have a genuine, urgent need for your solution. This initial group of users is invaluable for shaping the product. Superhuman, for example, maintained an 18-month waitlist, creating a sense of scarcity and exclusivity that fueled demand. They provided a personalized onboarding experience for early users, which helped generate strong word-of-mouth marketing before the product was even widely available. Ultimately, the process of finding the first 10 customers is about doing things that don't scale. Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison notes that early-stage companies must actively recruit their first users one by one. This hands-on approach provides crucial social proof and helps founders deeply understand how to position their product in the market.