How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1,000 users

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Considering every startup confronts this question at some point, I was surprised by how little has been written about it. Particularly anything actionable. So I decided to do my own digging. I spent the past month personally reaching out to founders, scouring interviews, and tapping the Twitterverse. Below, you’ll find first-hand accounts of how essentially every major consumer app acquired their earliest users, including Tinder, Uber, Superhuman, TikTok, Product Hunt, Yelp, and over a dozen more. Enjoy!

Hello, and welcome to a free monthly edition of my newsletter. I’m Lenny, and each week I tackle reader questions about product, growth, working with humans, and anything else that’s stressing you out at the office. Send me your questions and in return, I’ll humbly offer actionable real-talk advice. 🤜🤛 If you find this post valuable, check out some of my other posts: How To Know If You've Got Product/Market Fit How to Kickstart and Scale a Marketplace Business How To Get Into Product Management (And Thrive) To receive this newsletter in your inbox weekly, consider subscribing 👇…

How the biggest consumer apps got their first 1,000 users

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