HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Do the Unscalable Things, On Purpose

Do the Unscalable Things, On Purpose is a first users & traction tactic for getting your first users: Deliberately taking manual, high-effort actions you could never sustain forever, because they're exactly what wins the first 100 customers.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS teams, and works especially well for any early-stage startup, vibe-coded apps, B2B SaaS. As a first users & traction play, plan for high effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 2 linked primary sources.

First users & tractionHigh effortFast

Why does first users & traction work for this?

Manual effort gets you customers and learning that automated channels can't deliver at this stage, and you only need it to bridge to a point where better channels exist.

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
Any / universalB2B SaaS

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Do the Unscalable Things, On Purpose" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS — pick it when your product looks like that, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Do the Unscalable Things, On Purpose" 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 high 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 Y Combinator's Brutally Simple Playbook and How to Get Your First 100 Customers for Your Vibe Coded App, is in the paid library.

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