Playbook / Lessons / First buyers

Polite praise is not adoption

A customer saying something nice about your idea tells you little about whether they will really use or pay for it. Watch what people do with the product and turn each conversation into a measurable signal.

“Just because a customer says something 'nice,' doesn't mean they're actually adopting your product.”— Kerty Levy, Inside a Techstars Accelerator: Top 10 Lessons From Working With 100+ Founders, Oct 2025

Do this

Mark each person you spoke to as used, paid, or only praised, and follow up with the praised ones.

More in this pack

• Go out and recruit users by hand
• Three paying customers in 48 hours
• There are no facts inside your building
• Find real people with a problem first

Get your plan

All steps · Trust · Pricing