Handbook
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Idea & Validation
How to Find Your First 5 Users Before Writing Code
Validate demand by finding real users before you build anything. Here's how to get commitments, not just interest.
The best validation is finding people who will use your product before it exists. Not people who say they would—people who actually commit.
If you can find 5 people who genuinely want what you’re building, you have something. If you can’t, you’re probably building the wrong thing.
Here’s how to find those first 5 users before writing a single line of code.
Why 5 Users?
Five might seem like a small number, but finding 5 genuinely committed users is harder than it sounds. These aren’t people who say “that sounds cool.” These are people who:
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Sign up to be notified when it’s ready
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Agree to pay in advance or join a paid beta
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Schedule time to give feedback
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Introduce you to others who have the same problem
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Follow up asking when it will be ready
Five people who do these things are worth more than 500 email signups from people who will never use your product.
Step 1: Define Your Target User Precisely
“Small business owners” isn’t specific enough. You need to describe your ideal first user in detail:
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What’s their job title or role?
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What industry are they in?
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What size is their company?
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What tools do they currently use?
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What’s the specific problem they face?
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Where do they hang out online?
Example: “Marketing managers at B2B SaaS companies with 20-100 employees who currently use spreadsheets to track campaign performance.”
The more specific, the easier it is to find them.
Step 2: Find Where They Congregate
Your target users are gathering somewhere. Find those places:
Online communities:
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Reddit subreddits related to their industry
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Slack groups (there are thousands of professional Slack communities)
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Discord servers
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Facebook groups
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LinkedIn groups
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Industry-specific forums
Professional contexts:
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Industry conferences and meetups
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Webinars and virtual events
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Professional associations
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Industry publications and their comments sections
Social platforms:
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Twitter/X hashtags and conversations
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LinkedIn (search by job title, company size, industry)
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YouTube channels they watch
Physical spaces:
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Coworking spaces where they work
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Coffee shops in business districts
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Industry events in your city
Make a list of 10-15 places where your target users might be found.
Step 3: Reach Out
You need to start conversations. There are three main approaches:
Cold Outreach
Find individuals who match your target profile and reach out directly.
Email template:
Subject: Quick question about [their specific challenge]
Hi [Name],
I noticed you’re [relevant detail about them]. I’m researching how [target users] handle [problem area].
Would you have 15 minutes this week for a quick call? I’m trying to understand the problem better before building anything.
Not selling anything—just looking to learn.
[Your name]
LinkedIn message:
Hi [Name], I’m exploring solutions for [problem] faced by [their role]. Would love to hear about your experience with this. Any chance you’d have 15 minutes for a quick chat?
Keep it short, specific, and make clear you’re learning, not selling.
Community Participation
Join the communities where your users hang out. But don’t spam.
Instead:
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Answer questions and be helpful
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Share relevant insights (not promotional)
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Participate genuinely for 1-2 weeks
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Then, when appropriate, mention you’re working on something related
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Ask if anyone would be willing to chat
Example post:
“I’ve been researching [problem] and talking to a lot of [target users] about how they handle it. I’m thinking about building something to help. Would anyone here be interested in chatting about their experience? Not selling anything yet—just trying to understand the problem better.”
Warm Introductions
Ask everyone you know:
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“Do you know any [target user description]?”
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“I’m looking to talk to people who [face this problem]. Anyone come to mind?”
When you get a name:
“Hi [Name], [Mutual contact] suggested I reach out. I’m researching [problem] and heard you might have experience with this. Would you have 15 minutes this week?”
Warm intros convert much better than cold outreach.
Step 4: Convert Interest to Commitment
Getting a conversation is step one. Getting commitment is the goal. During or after your conversation, ask for something concrete:
Email/waitlist signup:
“I’m putting together a list of people who want early access when this is ready. Can I add you?”
Feedback commitment:
“Would you be willing to test an early version and give detailed feedback? I’d need about 30 minutes of your time.”
Pre-sale:
“I’m offering a 50% discount for people who pre-pay. It’s $X for a year. Would you be interested?”
Introduction request:
“Do you know 2-3 other people who face this same problem? I’d love to talk to them too.”
If they won’t do any of these things, they’re not a real potential user.
Step 5: Track and Follow Up
Create a simple tracker:
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Name
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Company
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How you found them
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Date of conversation
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Key insights
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Commitment level
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Next step
Follow up with everyone:
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Send a thank you after every conversation
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Update them on progress every few weeks
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Ask for intros to others
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Invite them to test early versions
Your first 5 users often become your first 50 through referrals.
What If You Can’t Find 5?
If you’ve put in genuine effort and can’t find 5 committed users:
Your target is too broad. Narrow it down. Go from “marketers” to “content marketers at agencies.”
You’re looking in the wrong places. Find different communities. Talk to people in your current list about where they hang out.
The problem isn’t painful enough. People with real pain are eager to talk. If no one’s interested, the problem might not be as severe as you thought.
Your positioning is off. How you describe the problem matters. Try different framings.
You’re giving up too early. Finding 5 users takes persistent effort. If you’ve only tried for a few days, keep going.
Signs You’ve Found Your First 5
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They ask when it will be ready
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They offer to pay before it exists
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They introduce you to others with the same problem
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They follow up without prompting
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They share detailed information about their situation
When you have 5 people showing these signs, you have validation. Start building.
Key Takeaways
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Define your target user with precision—vague descriptions make them impossible to find
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Find 10-15 places where they congregate online and offline
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Use cold outreach, community participation, and warm intros to start conversations
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Convert interest to commitment: signups, pre-sales, feedback agreements, introductions
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If you can’t find 5 committed users, narrow your target or reconsider the problem
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