How do solo founders find their first 100 customers in 2026?
6 named solo founders traced — Levels, Dinh, Lou, Postma, Kahl, Mohrer. None found their first 100 customers via ads; every one went to a community already discussing the problem.
Founders
Every Draper article on Founders.
How do I know if my target market is actually real?
A real market passes 4 tests in social data: it self-organises, describes the problem unprompted, shares a vocabulary, exists at volume. Three markets tested — two passed, one failed.
How do I validate demand for a startup idea before I build it?
Search the problem, not the product, then grade four signals: recurring complaints, tool-seeking posts, DIY workarounds, procurement friction. They pointed at the $1.5B wedge Granola took.