Growth Without Hacks

We applied to YC once with the idea of Peerlist. Obviously did not get in. But that didn’t stop us from applying PG’s principles while building and growing Peerlist.

I don’t need to explain how great PG’s writing is—it’s like the startup world’s bible.
But do you know why it feels so relatable?
Because it’s simple. And it’s actionable. Every time I read it, I think, “Wait… I can actually do this!”

As Peerlist is growing and entering a new phase, I’ve been thinking a lot about “marketing.”

But to be honest, I’m not sure you can fully call it just marketing.
It feels more like the way you operate your startup.
The way you talk to users, the way you build, the way you grow.

After reading PG’s essays again, I realized—we’re already doing many of the things he talks about. That gave me a huge sense of validation and confidence to keep going.

Because yes, sometimes I do get distracted by shiny tactics—SEO hacks, paid ads, marketing funnels, etc.

But when you look at what actually makes startups successful, it’s not tricks or hacks.
It’s simple.
It’s human.
It’s about building something people really want and staying close to your users.

Here are a few principles I’ve picked up from Paul Graham’s writing and YC’s way of building startups:

Make a Few People Extremely Happy

In the early days of a startup, your goal is not to acquire thousands of users. Your goal is to make just a few people completely love your product.

When you have 10 users who can’t live without what you’ve built, you're onto something real. These people become your evangelists. They give you thoughtful feedback, tell their friends, and sometimes even become your first paying customers or contributors.

Most startups fail not because they didn’t get some users, but because they never got anyone who truly care. Aim for love, not lukewarm interest.

“It’s better to have 100 people who love you than 1,000 who sort of like you.”

Talk to Your Users. Really Talk to Them.

This one cannot be overstated: talk to your users. Not through forms or feedback widgets, actually talk to them. Schedule a 15-minute call. Message them directly. Ask them what’s working, what’s frustrating, and what they wish your product could do better.

These conversations will unlock insights that no analytics tool or A/B test can reveal. You’ll learn how users describe your product in their own words. You’ll see which parts of your product confuse them. You’ll discover tiny frustrations that no metric would have ever exposed.

Start Small, Go Deep

One of the most common early-stage startup mistakes is trying to appeal to everyone. The logic seems sound: a bigger market means a bigger opportunity, right?

But in reality, when you build for “everyone,” you end up building something that resonates with no one. That is exactly why we solely focusing on "people in tech".

When you focus on solving one group’s problems really well, your product becomes sharper, more useful, and more loved. From there, you can expand outward.

Airbnb didn’t start by targeting the global travel market. They started by helping people find a place to stay during conferences. Stripe didn’t start with “all payments”—they started with developers.

Customer Support Is Marketing

Most people view customer support as a backend function. But in a startup, great support is one of your strongest marketing channels.

Why? Because early users remember how you made them feel. When you respond quickly, fix bugs promptly, or go out of your way to help, even for a single user, they’ll remember it. And they’ll talk about it.

It builds trust. It builds loyalty. And it creates stories worth sharing.

When a startup replies within minutes and solves your problem on a Sunday afternoon, it stands out. That’s marketing.

Measure What Matters

In the early stage, it’s tempting to track everything: impressions, click-through rates, likes, followers, time on page. But most of these numbers don’t matter if the fundamentals are broken.

What really matters? Usually just a handful of metrics: activation (are new users experiencing the core value?), retention (are they coming back?), and referrals (are they telling others?).

In last few months, we solely focused on retention. Because if people aren’t coming back, nothing else matters.

Grow Through Systems, Not Hacks

The internet loves the idea of "growth hacks". Shortcuts that magically skyrocket your users. But those spikes rarely last. I have experienced that!

Instead, real growth comes from building systems: talking to users every day, shipping small improvements regularly, refining your messaging, iterating on onboarding, and making the product better week after week.

It’s slower, but far more sustainable. And over time, this compounding effort becomes your competitive advantage.

Learn From People Who Say No

When someone doesn’t sign up, doesn’t return, or outright says “this isn’t for me”, don’t ignore it. Ask them why.

Most people won’t give feedback unless you ask. But when you do, you often hear the truth: maybe your onboarding was confusing, your messaging didn’t make sense, or your product didn’t solve a real pain.

Every "no" is an opportunity to learn, refine, and improve your product or positioning. The people who leave often teach you more than the ones who stay.

Your most valuable feedback often comes from your harshest critics, not your biggest fans.

Marketing isn’t about shiny tools or growth hacks. It’s about understanding people, solving their problems, and showing up consistently.

So if you’re building something today, don’t ask: How do I get more users?
Ask: How do I make the next 10 users love what I’m building?

That’s the real marketing strategy.

Highly recommend to read Paul Graham's Startups in 13 Sentences.