The Foundr Podcast with Nathan Chan

590: (Solo) Why You Need to Do Things That Don’t Scale

7 snips
Sep 23, 2025
Starting out requires hands-on, unscalable efforts rather than automated systems. Learn why personal engagement, like replying to every email and sending handwritten thank-you notes, builds emotional connections that attract early customers. Discover real examples from successful founders who used targeted outreach and creative tactics to foster relationships and drive growth. Embrace these strategies to create raving fans before scaling your brand.
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INSIGHT

Small Teams' Biggest Advantage

  • Early-stage founders should avoid over-automation and stay curious about customers.
  • Doing unscalable tasks uncovers what actually works and beats big brands at relationship-building.
ANECDOTE

Replying To Every Signup Email

  • Nathan Chan replied to every signup email for the first 12–18 months to learn customer needs.
  • He built direct relationships and used replies to improve Founder’s product and content choices.
ANECDOTE

Instagram DMs That Drove Sales

  • Students Rena and Flo DM'd relevant hairdressers and ambassadors and made $25,000 in two weeks.
  • They sent hundreds of personal messages weekly instead of using ads or automation.
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