How we source and verify every first-user tactic

1. Sourcing from primary evidence

Every tactic starts from a documented, real-world example: a founder interview, podcast, conference talk, teardown, or first-person write-up. We capture the original URL and the specific claim it supports. If a play cannot be traced to a primary source, it does not enter the database.

2. Extracting the exact steps

From each source we pull the concrete steps the founder actually ran — not generic advice. We record what they did, why it worked, who it worked for, and any pitfalls they called out. The step-by-step is written to be reproducible, then paywalled; the free teaser (what it is, why, best-for, effort, speed) stays public.

3. Classification with a fixed rubric

Each tactic is tagged by channel (13 channels), product type (9 types), effort (Low / Medium / High), and expected speed to results (Fast / Medium / Slow). The rubric is applied consistently so aggregates — like the ones on our stats page — are comparable across the whole set.

4. Human verification of AI-assisted drafts

AI assists with summarising and drafting, but it never has the last word. A human editor checks every factual claim and every source link before a tactic ships. We do not fabricate authors, sources, or outcomes, and we do not attach placeholder credentials to inflate authority.

5. Keeping it current

The dataset was last updated 2026-06-28. Tactics are re-reviewed when their source changes, and the freshness date on every tactic, the stats page, and the sitemap reflects real dataset changes — never a faked per-build timestamp.

Frequently asked

Where do the tactics come from?

Each one is drawn from a primary, public source — a founder interview, podcast, teardown, or write-up — and links back to it so you can verify the claim yourself.

Is the content AI-generated?

AI assists with summarisation and drafting, but a human editor verifies every factual claim and source link before anything is published. Nothing ships unverified.

How is a tactic classified?

By channel, product type, effort (Low/Medium/High), and speed to results (Fast/Medium/Slow), using a fixed rubric applied across all 3,000+ tactics so the aggregates stay comparable.

How often is the data updated?

The database is updated on a rolling basis; the current dataset was last updated 2026-06-28. Freshness dates always reflect real changes, not build times.