YC Launches Tepali for Medspas

Tepali, founded by Chrisvin Jabamani and Vishnu Pathmanaban, is a W26 YC-backed venture aiming to unify medspa operations. The platform integrates marketing intelligence, scheduling, patient CRM, charting, and inventory management, all powered by AI to provide insights across the entire business. This move comes as other players, like Podium with its "Avery" AI, are also launching AI-powered operating systems for the aesthetics industry, indicating a significant tech shift in this sector. For founders starting out, YC's advice is to relentlessly focus on a small group of users and "make something people want." The goal isn't a product that a large group of people like, but one that a small group loves, even if it's an "ugly" MVP. This initial group of "true believers" who have a burning need for a solution are the ones who will provide the sharpest feedback. Identifying these first users often happens in niche online communities where they already discuss their problems, such as Reddit, Discord, or specific Slack groups. The key is to engage authentically by offering value and participating in conversations before ever mentioning your product. Many successful YC founders acquired their first 100 users through this kind of direct, manual outreach. Cold outreach through email and LinkedIn is also a viable strategy, provided it's highly personalized. Researching a potential user's company and role to address their specific pain points is crucial for getting a response. YC partner Gustaf Alströmer emphasizes that founders should learn to do sales themselves, as it's a direct way to understand customers. A structured approach to outreach can involve a sequence of 5-8 touchpoints over several weeks, combining calls, emails, and social media engagement. The initial email should be brief, clear, and written in plain text, stating that you are the founder and highlighting social proof if possible. The goal of these early conversations is not just to validate the idea, but to build relationships and a pipeline for continuous feedback. Don't be afraid to charge early users for your product. Paying customers provide more honest and critical feedback than those using a free product. This early revenue is less about financial gain and more about validating that you've built something people find valuable enough to pay for, a strong signal for product-market fit.