Why Doing the Hard Things First Can Lead to Unprecedented Growth

What if I told you the secret to your startup's success is doing the hard things first? In an era where scaling fast is often glorified, taking the time to engage directly with your early users can make all the difference.

Growth Requires Deliberate, Often Unscalable Actions at the Outset

The Unscalable Path to Success

The initial challenge for most startups is acquiring users. Rather than waiting for customers to discover them, founders must take profound steps. They must personally recruit users, engaging with potential customers to understand their needs and gain traction. This approach is pivotal in building a solid user base from the ground up.

Key Examples of Manual User Recruitment 

• Stripe: The Collision brothers personally set up their service on the spot for potential users, ensuring immediate engagement and feedback.

• Airbnb: Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia went door to door, not just signing new users but actively helping them improve their listings.

Strategies for Delighting Early Users

1. Personalized Engagement: Personally engage with early users to understand their needs, gather feedback, and offer tailored assistance.

2. Exceptional Customer Support: Offer fast and proactive customer support to address issues before they escalate.

3. Added Value and Surprise Elements: Go beyond what is promised and delight users with unexpected features or additional services.

4. Build Community and Improve Exclusivity: Involve users in the development process by soliciting their ideas and feedback.

5. Be Transparent and Authentic: Maintain transparent and honest communication with users about the company’s progress, challenges, and updates.

The Fragility of Early-stage Startups

The most common misconception about startups is their fragility in the early stages. Many founders underestimate the effort required to kick-start growth. Everything begins small and vulnerable. The initial phase demands intensive user engagement and customer satisfaction, actions that may seem insignificant but lay the foundation for future success.

Overcoming Startup Challenges

Startups face numerous challenges beyond acquiring users, including product iteration and market validation. The iterative process of testing and refining products based on direct user feedback is essential for a startup's survival. By engaging deeply with early adopters, startups can iterate faster and more effectively.

The Evolution Towards Scalability

Automated processes will not entertain customer delight early on. Understand when to automate—start with time-consuming and least complex tasks. Maintain quality by implementing robust quality control systems.

Example: Zapier started by manually creating integrations between different apps. As demand grew, they developed an automation platform allowing users to create their integrations without the need for technical skills.

Practical Steps for Transitioning to Automation

• Documentation and Standardization: Create detailed documentation to ensure consistency.

• Choosing the Right Tools: Select tools that match your needs.

• Pilot Testing: Test new processes before full implementation.

• Training and Support: Provide training to ensure smooth transitions.

• Constant Improvement: Continuously monitor and refine automated processes.

The path to startup success is paved with actions that don't scale. Founders who embrace manual user recruitment, prioritize customer satisfaction, and iterate based on direct feedback are better positioned for long-term growth. Remember, the journey starts with the first customer. Don’t wait for success to find you—go out and create it by doing the unscalable.

Ready to take your startup to the next level? Start with the hard things and watch your business thrive.

If you're a founder looking to scale and need guidance on navigating these challenges, feel free to DM me.

Let's discuss how we can make your startup journey successful!🚀