The First 1000: How Today's Unicorns Found Their Initial Users
Unraveling the Strategies Behind Explosive Growth
Hey there!
I'm Akshay,👋 and I'm excited to welcome you back to our deep dive into startup wisdom.
Remember last week when we talked about the Paradox of Choice? We discovered how too many options can paralyze users. Well, guess what? I've been suffering from a paradox of my own lately – the Paradox of Topics!
With so many fascinating startup concepts to explore, I found myself stuck, unable to decide what to write about next. Then it hit me – why not apply last month's lesson? I narrowed down my choices and landed on a topic that's not just crucial, but downright existential for startups.
This month, we're zeros on the hunt for heroes – 1000 of them, to be exact. We're diving into the strategies that helped today's unicorns acquire their first 1,000 users! 🦄
Ready to kickstart your journey to 1000? Let's dive in!
What You'll Learn Today:
🎯 From Zero to Hero: A modern framework for getting your first 1000 users in 2024
🦄 Success Stories Decoded:
How Etsy turned offline craft fairs into online success
How Pinterest's personal touch strategy evolved into Perplexity AI's modern approach
How today's AI companies are reaching users at unprecedented speed
💡 The Evolution of Growth:
Why traditional methods still matter (but need a digital upgrade)
How Figma, Notion, and Canva adapted classic principles
Real metrics and results from recent success stories
🛠️ Modern Acquisition Playbook:
LinkedIn automation strategy that got HyperWrite AI 2,000 users in 3 months
Twitter engineering that earned Typefully 1,000 users in 7 days
No-code stack that helped Exploding Topics reach 5,000 users in a month
Community-led approach that gave Stable Diffusion 100k+ users
Creator partnerships that built Midjourney's 500k waitlist
Interactive tools that drive Copy.ai's 2,000 daily signups
⚡ Implementation Guide:
Exact tools and costs breakdown
Week-by-week execution plan
Real message templates and strategies
Conversion metrics to aim for
The biggest mistake founders make isn't choosing the wrong strategy – it's poor execution of the right one. That's why 40% of this guide focuses on the "how" rather than just the "what."
Grab your coffee (you'll need it ☕️) – we're about to dive into the most actionable guide you'll read on early user acquisition.
But first, let's set the stage with a relatable scenario:
Imagine you've just launched your startup. Your product is polished, your team is eager, and your dreams are big. But as you look at your user count, you see a big, round zero staring back at you. How do you go from zero to your first 1,000 users? How did today's tech giants do it when they were in your shoes?
Last week, I was chatting with a friend who's just launched her SaaS startup. She was struggling to get her first users and asked me, "How did the big guys do it?" That got me thinking and researching. I dove into interviews, articles, and even reached out to some founders directly. What I discovered was fascinating and, in some cases, surprisingly simple.
Now, let's dive into some detailed success stories that showcase different strategies for acquiring those crucial first 1,000 users.
Success Story: Etsy - Crafting a Community, One Fair at a Time
Etsy is a global marketplace for unique and creative goods, connecting artisans selling handmade, vintage, and craft supplies with buyers looking for unique items
Source: Seller-way
Strategy: Go where your target users are, offline
In the mid-2000s, Etsy faced a unique challenge. They had built a platform for artisans to sell handmade goods, but how could they convince these craftspeople - many of whom were accustomed to local markets and fairs - to take their business online?
Etsy's solution was brilliantly simple: if the artisans wouldn't come to them, they would go to the artisans.
The company decided to actually go into all these fairs across the United States, having people travel to all these craft fairs and recruit sellers. This strategy was labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it paid off in spades.
By showing up at craft fairs, Etsy representatives could:
Demonstrate the platform in person, addressing any concerns or questions immediately.
Help artisans set up their shops on the spot, reducing friction in the onboarding process.
Build personal relationships with sellers, creating a sense of community from the very beginning.
But here's where the magic really happened: each seller Etsy recruited didn't just represent a single user. These sellers would eventually recruit their own buyers to the website. Every artisan who joined Etsy had an existing customer base - people who bought from them at local fairs and markets. By bringing these sellers onto the platform, Etsy was indirectly tapping into their customer networks as well.
This targeted approach yielded remarkable early results for Etsy - according to former CEO Chad Dickerson, their craft fair strategy brought in approximately 830 sellers in the first six months, who in turn attracted an average of 20 buyers each. While these numbers might seem modest, they established the foundation for Etsy's powerful network effect.
As Paul Graham famously noted, "Do things that don't scale." Etsy's craft fair strategy exemplifies this principle perfectly - what seemed like a painfully manual process of attending fairs and personally onboarding sellers became the catalyst for exponential growth.
Graham argues that this kind of "unsustainable" personal touch in the early stages is often exactly what startups need to gain their first devoted users.
We see this same principle at work in recent success stories.
Take Figma's launch in 2016 - instead of trying to immediately compete with Adobe, they focused intensely on design students and teachers.
According to founder Dylan Field, they personally onboarded every design program they could reach, offering free educational licenses. This "small" approach resulted in 50,000 students becoming power users within the first year, who then brought Figma into their first jobs.
Modern Digital Implementation:
Today's landscape offers even more powerful ways to execute this "go where your users are" strategy:
Digital Community Infiltration
Discord Communities: Notion grew its initial user base by having team members actively participate in productivity-focused Discord servers, offering genuine help while subtly showcasing their product. This led to a 300% growth in their developer community within six months.
Reddit Deep Dives: Canva found success by identifying and engaging with specific subreddits where their target users gathered - r/entrepreneurs, r/smallbusiness, and r/design. They report that 30% of their early adopters came through Reddit engagement.
Virtual Event Domination
Industry-Specific Webinars: Ahrefs built their initial user base by hosting SEO webinars in partnership with established digital marketing communities, converting 40% of attendees into trial users.
Digital Conferences: Pitch gained their first 5,000 users by securing speaking slots at virtual startup conferences during the pandemic, offering exclusive access to attendees.
Content Creator Partnerships
Micro-Influencer Strategy: Later.com partnered with 50 Instagram micro-influencers in specific niches (food bloggers, fashion influencers, small business owners) with 5,000-20,000 followers each. This targeted approach resulted in 2,500 signups in their first month.
YouTube Tutorial Collaborations: Jasper.ai (formerly Jarvis) gained significant early traction by partnering with AI and productivity YouTubers with modest but engaged followings, reaching 10,000 users within three months.
Digital Community Building
Vertical-Specific Groups: Shopify's initial growth came from creating focused Facebook groups for different types of merchants (dropshippers, crafters, etc.). Each group became a self-sustaining growth engine, with members actively recruiting others.
Professional Networks: Superhuman built exclusivity through a managed waitlist and referral system within professional networks, creating FOMO that drove organic growth.
The fundamental principle remains unchanged from Etsy's early days - go where your users are.
However, the digital landscape has multiplied both the opportunities and the potential impact.
Success comes from choosing the right combination of these channels based on your specific user base and executing with the same level of personal touch and authenticity that worked for Etsy, just adapted for the digital age.
Modern startups that embrace this approach while leveraging today's tools often see even faster growth than their predecessors.
For example, Midjourney gained their first 1,000 users within 48 hours through Discord, and their next 10,000 within a week - something that would have taken months in the craft fair era.
Source: Photutorial
Source: Subreddit Stats
The key is matching the right modern channel with the same level of authenticity and personal touch that made traditional approaches successful.
Success Story: Pinterest - The Power of Persistence and Personal Touch
Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users save and organize images and ideas ("pins") for projects, hobbies, and inspiration
Source: Dribble
Strategy: Invite friends and create word-of-mouth through relentless personal outreach
When Ben Silbermann launched Pinterest in March 2010, he faced a challenge many founders can relate to: nobody seemed to care about his new platform.
"So, we released the product," Silbermann recalled in a 2012 interview, "and I would love to tell you that suddenly it took off and went viral and Pinterest was an overnight success. But the reality is, we hardly had any users."
But Silbermann didn't give up. Instead, he adopted a strategy that seems almost unthinkable in today's world of growth hacking and viral marketing: he started reaching out to users personally. And not just a few users - thousands of them.
Here's what he did:
Personal Emails: Silbermann personally emailed the first 5,000 users of Pinterest. Each email was tailored to the user, asking for feedback and suggestions.
Phone Calls: Going a step further, he gave his personal phone number to the first 7,000 users. Yes, you read that right - 7,000 people had direct access to the founder of Pinterest.
Meetups: Silbermann organized meetups at local boutiques, encouraging users to bring their friends. These events helped create a sense of community around the platform.
Persistent Iteration: Based on user feedback, the Pinterest team continuously refined the product, showing users that their input mattered.
This level of personal engagement had several key benefits:
It created a strong sense of loyalty among early users.
It provided invaluable feedback for improving the product.
It encouraged word-of-mouth marketing as users felt personally invested in Pinterest's success.
But perhaps most importantly, it gave Silbermann deep insights into who his users were and what they wanted from the platform. This understanding shaped Pinterest's development and helped it grow into the visual discovery engine we know today.
The result of this painstaking, personal approach? By August 2011, Pinterest had 1 million monthly active users. By 2012, it was one of the fastest-growing sites in history.
While Pinterest's story might seem like ancient history in startup terms, the power of personal engagement remains crucial - it just looks different today. Let's look at how Perplexity AI, one of 2023's fastest-growing AI search engines, adapted these principles for the modern era.
Source: Originality.ai
When Aravind Srinivas launched Perplexity AI, he faced similar challenges in a more crowded market.
Here's how they modernized Pinterest's personal touch approach:
Twitter Building in Public
Srinivas regularly shared product updates, insights, and behind-the-scenes decisions on Twitter
Each major feature launch was accompanied by personal demonstrations
The founder engaged directly with user feedback in tweet replies
Result: Built an engaged following of 100K+ in months, with each follower feeling personally connected to the journey
Community-Driven Development
Created a dedicated Discord server where team members, including founders, actively participated
Implemented user suggestions within days, sometimes hours, showing rapid response to feedback
Shared product roadmap publicly and adjusted based on community input
Result: 80% of early feature requests were implemented within two weeks, creating strong user loyalty
Modern Personal Touch at Scale
Used AI to personalize onboarding for each user while maintaining authenticity
Implemented an in-app feedback system that guaranteed founder review for critical suggestions
Created personalized video responses to major feature requests or bug reports
Result: Maintained 80% user retention in first three months
Digital Meetups and Events
Hosted weekly Twitter Spaces with different user segments
Organized virtual hackathons where users could build on their API
Created exclusive beta tester groups for new features
Result: Built a community of 10,000 power users who became product evangelists
The Impact: While Pinterest took 17 months to reach 1 million users, Perplexity AI reached this milestone in just 5 months.
The key difference?
They combined Pinterest's principles of personal engagement with modern tools and platforms:
Modern Tools for Personal Touch at Scale:
Automated yet Personal Onboarding
Use tools like Customer.io or Knock for personalized user journeys
Implement AI-powered chatbots that learn from user interactions
Create dynamic onboarding flows based on user behavior
Community Engagement 2.0
Discord servers with AI-powered community moderators
GitHub Discussions for technical products
Circle.so for premium community experiences
Feedback Loops
UseResponse or Canny for public feedback boards
Amplitude for real-time user behavior analysis
Notion public roadmaps for transparency
Modern Relationship Building
Twitter Spaces for public AMAs
LinkedIn Live for professional audience engagement
Loom for personalized video messages at scale
The Key Lesson: While the tools have evolved, the fundamental principle remains unchanged: make users feel heard and valued. The main difference is that modern startups can achieve Pinterest's level of personal touch at 10x the scale and speed, thanks to new tools and platforms.
Success Metrics to Track:
Community Engagement Rate (aim for >20% active participation)
Feedback Implementation Time (target <2 weeks)
User-Generated Content Ratio (aim for 5:1 user:company content)
Net Promoter Score (target >50 for early users)
Remember: Whether it's 2010 or 2024, users don't just want to use your product - they want to be part of your journey. The tools for creating this connection have changed, but the importance of personal touch remains constant.
Now that we've seen how companies like Etsy, Perplexity, and Mindjourney built their initial user base, you might be wondering: "But how do I apply these principles in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape?"
While cold-emailing thousands of users or attending physical events might not be feasible anymore, the core principle of going where your users remain unchanged – it just looks different in 2024.
Let's dive into modern, actionable strategies that startups are using right now to get their first 1,000 users, complete with real examples, tools, and templates you can implement today.
These aren't just theoretical approaches – they're battle-tested methods that companies have used in the past 12 months to build their initial user base.
Modern Acquisition Strategies: Real-World Playbook for Your First 1000 Users
1. LinkedIn Automation for B2B Growth
Case Study: Hyperwrite AI
Growth Achievement: 0 to 2,000 users in 3 months using LinkedIn automation
Their Exact Process:
Profile Optimization
Changed banner to showcase "AI Writing Assistant with 100k+ users"
Added social proof in About section: "Used by teams at Google, Meta, Amazon"
Featured customer testimonials in Experience section
Automated Engagement Sequence Using Instantly.ai:
Day 1: Like prospect's latest post
Day 3: Comment on a post (using AI-generated contextual comments)
Day 5: Send connection request
Day 7: Send personalized message
Real message template that got 72% response rate: "Hey {first_name}, noticed you're working on {company}'s content strategy. We've built an AI writing tool that's helping content teams save 8 hours/week. Would you be interested in trying it out? Happy to give you extended access."
Content Strategy (with real metrics)
Posted 3x daily using Shield Analytics optimal timing
Most successful post format: Hook: "We analyzed 1,000 top-performing LinkedIn posts..." Value: Share 3 concrete insights CTA: "Who wants our full analysis template?" Result: 892 comments, 1,200+ connection requests
2. Twitter Growth Engineering
Case Study: Typefully's Launch
Growth Achievement: 1,000 users in 7 days
Their Exact Process:
Pre-Launch Build-up
Created "Ultimate Twitter Growth Database" (public Notion page)
Shared access in exchange for email (gathered 2,000 emails)
Built anticipation with daily "sneak peeks"
Launch Thread Strategy Hook:
"I spent 3 months analyzing 100k tweets to find the perfect tweet format. Here's what actually works in 2024" Results:
1.2M impressions
12,000 likes
800 sign-ups in 24 hours
3. No-Code Growth Stack
Case Study: Exploding Topics
Growth Achievement: 0 to 5,000 users in first month
Their Exact Tech Stack:
Landing Page: Webflow + Swipe Pages for A/B testing
4 variants tested
Winning variant: 12% conversion rate
Email Collection: ConvertKit + Instantly
Automated personalized follow-ups
62% open rate with AI-written subject lines
Analytics: June.so + PostHog
Real-time user journey tracking
Identified drop-off points
4. Community-Led Growth
Case Study: Stable Diffusion Web UI
Growth Achievement: 100k+ users without marketing budget
Their Community Strategy:
Discord Setup
Separate channels for: #showcase-your-art #prompt-engineering #technical-support #feature-requests
Weekly community calls
Ambassador program (50 active members)
GitHub Integration
Public roadmap with voting
Weekly contributor spotlight
Bounty program for features
5. Creator Partnerships
Case Study: Midjourney
Growth Achievement: 500k waitlist in 2 weeks
Their Creator Strategy:
Identified 50 AI art creators (5k-50k followers)
Provided early access + revenue share
Created custom affiliate dashboard
Result: 15,000 sign-ups per creator on average
6. Interactive Content Strategy
Case Study: Copy.ai
Growth Achievement: 2,000 daily sign-ups
Their Interactive Tools:
Free Tools That Converted
Instagram Bio Generator: 32% conversion
Email Subject Line Tester: 28% conversion
LinkedIn Headline Generator: 41% conversion
Growth Loop Tool Usage
→ Social Share → Viral Loop
Average share rate: 18%
Cost per acquired user: $0.42
Implementation Checklist for Founders:
Week 1: Setup
□ Install Shield Analytics
□ Configure Instantly.ai
□ Set up Phantombuster
Week 2: Content Creation
□ Create 15 atomic LinkedIn posts
□ Build 1 flagship Twitter thread
□ Record 2 tool demonstrations
Week 3: Automation
□ Set up engagement sequences
□ Configure tracking pixels
□ Launch first interactive tool
Week 4: Community
□ Launch Discord server
□ Create GitHub repository
□ Set up public roadmap
Remember, the key to successfully acquiring your first 1000 users is to combine these strategies in a way that aligns with your product, target audience, and unique value proposition.
Don't be afraid to experiment, iterate, and pivot based on what you learn along the way.
My Biggest Takeaways 🧠💡
After analyzing both classic and modern success stories, here are the key insights that stand the test of time while embracing new opportunities:
Speed Through Automation 🚀 Modern tools let you achieve personal touch at scale. What took Pinterest 17 months can now be done in 5 months with the right automation stack.
Community First, Product Second 👥 Whether it's Etsy's craft fairs or Stable Diffusion's Discord, building a community before scaling is crucial. Today's tools just make it faster and more measurable.
Templates Beat Theory 📝 Success leaves clues. Using proven templates (like HyperWrite's 72% response rate LinkedIn message) is more effective than reinventing the wheel.
Measure Everything 📊 Modern startups succeed faster because they track everything. From Discord engagement rates to conversion metrics, data drives decisions.
Stack for Success ⚙️ The right tool stack (costing about $86/month) can replace what used to require entire teams. But tools are only as good as your strategy.
Cross-Platform Synergy 🔄 Today's successful startups don't just pick one channel - they create synergy between platforms. Discord feeds Twitter, which feeds LinkedIn, which feeds email lists.
Value First, Ask Later 🎁 Whether it's Copy.ai's free tools or Typefully's growth database, giving value upfront creates organic growth opportunities.
Remember, getting to 1000 users is just the beginning.
These early adopters are not just numbers – they're the foundation of your product's future. Treat them well, listen to their feedback, and use their insights to refine and improve your offering.
As you dive headfirst into your quest for 1000 users, I'd love to hear from you:
Which of these strategies resonate most with your product and target audience?
Have you tried any unique approaches to acquiring your first users?
What challenges are you facing in reaching this milestone?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below, or hit reply to this email. Your experiences and insights might just inspire next month's newsletter topic!
Here's to your first 1000 users and beyond!