Don’t Build for the Masses: Start With Your Earlyvangelists for Real Traction

Most founders dream of launching to the masses—seeing their product splash across headlines and signups flood in. But chasing a broad crowd at first is a recipe for disappointment. Instead, startups that zero in on a tiny group of passionate users, their 'earlyvangelists,' find traction that lasts.

Earlyvangelists aren’t just your friends or the people who say 'nice idea.' They’re the ones who’ve cobbled together awkward hacks to solve a pressing problem. They’re frustrated, vocal, motivated, and—this is key—willing to pay or spend real effort to get relief. Maybe they’ve glued together spreadsheets, duct-taped tools, or built homegrown workarounds.

Targeting these users means resisting the urge to launch a mainstream product. Instead, you deliver a minimum viable version to this tiny group. Their responses—especially their willingness to commit—show whether you’ve hit on a real need. Their feedback will be sharper, their referrals more enthusiastic, and their loyalty, if you deliver, unmatched.

The science is clear: innovations spread first among the most motivated outliers, not the mainstream. By focusing on earlyvangelists, you seed the energy and learning that makes your product ready for everyone else.

Take a step back and write down what real pain or desire your product addresses. List the traits of users who are actually searching for solutions right now, and make sure you know how to spot them. Instead of going wide, reach out to this handful of passionate people and put your basic offering in their hands. When you do, resist asking for polite feedback—instead, gauge their commitment by whether they’re willing to pay, try, or invest their time. Use their reactions to shape your next moves. Give their suggestions more weight than the mainstream for now, and let this sharp focus guide your first wins.