Hands-on Outreach and Early Growth Tactics

Concrete unscalable tactics—targeted Instagram DMs, following competitor customers, direct outreach (examples: Rena & Flo, Healthish), handwritten cards, voice notes, and custom packages to build emotional connections and get early sales.

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When you’re just starting out, the fastest way to grow isn’t automation, ads, or scaling systems — it’s doing things that don’t scale.

In this episode, I share why the most successful founders — from billion-dollar startups to small ecommerce brands — all begin by leaning into the unscalable. From replying personally to every email, to sending hundreds of Instagram DMs, to handwriting thank-you cards for early customers, these strategies create the kind of emotional connection that big brands can’t compete with.

Here’s what you’ll take away: • Why doing things that don’t scale is your biggest advantage as a small brand • Real examples of how I and other founders used this to grow early traction • Specific tactics you can start today to build stronger customer relationships

If you’re an early-stage founder, this episode will show you exactly how to build momentum, create raving fans, and uncover what truly works — long before you scale.

This is a brand new solo series I’m testing, and I’d love your feedback. Email me directly at nathan@foundr.com — I read every reply. Hope you enjoy it.

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