HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Be the Software Before You Build It

Be the Software Before You Build It is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Launch as a service with humans delivering the outcome manually, learning the workflow cold before any of it gets turned into product.

It's a strong fit for AI products teams, and works especially well for any, especially AI and workflow products. As a first users & traction play, plan for medium effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

First users & tractionMedium effortFast

Why does first users & traction work for this?

Doing the job by hand teaches you what genuinely creates value and what customers will pay for, so the software you eventually build automates a proven workflow instead of a guess.

The exact steps (4)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
AI productsAny / universal

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Be the Software Before You Build It" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for AI products — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Be the Software Before You Build It" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 2 primary sources — real founder write-ups and interviews, not generic advice. They are linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original accounts yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is medium effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via SaaS is minting millionaires again and How to Start a SaaS Business From Scratch, is in the paid library.

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