How to get your first customers

Gustaf Alströmer explains YC's practical approach to early customer acquisition: founder-led sales, manual recruiting, simple funnels, charging for value, and working backwards from customer goals.

4 sections · 8 lessons

Course outline

Manual Takeoff

  1. Founders Make Startups Take Off
  2. Founder Sales Duty
  3. Choose the Founder-Led Path

First Outreach

  1. Start With Something Useful
  2. Write a Short Sales Email
  3. Draft the First Outreach

Pipeline Discipline

  1. Track the Whole Funnel
  2. Choose Easy Early Adopters
  3. Prioritize a Lead List

Paid Funnel Goals

  1. Charge to Prove Value
  2. Work Backwards From Goals
  3. Plan Outreach Volume

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