Why Do Things That Don't Scale

Nathan explains the value of avoiding early automation and shares his experience personally replying to every signup for 12–18 months to learn customer needs and improve the product.

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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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