Andres
@entrepreneura.bsky.social
Decoding how top startups landed their first users
5/ They captured the novelty window. They didn't wait for perfect tech, they built distribution first. The race isn't to create the most realistic AI. The race is to create the most engaging one. GrannySpills won by not competing on realism at all. 🧠
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
5/ They captured the novelty window. They didn't wait for perfect tech, they built distribution first. The race isn't to create the most realistic AI. The race is to create the most engaging one. GrannySpills won by not competing on realism at all. 🧠
4/ This isn't just one character. It's a network. Blur Studios built an ecosystem. GrannySpills (1.8M) cross-promotes with Joey on the Streets (624K) and Nana Nessa (119K). Human influencers scale linearly. AI character networks scale exponentially. 🌐
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
4/ This isn't just one character. It's a network. Blur Studios built an ecosystem. GrannySpills (1.8M) cross-promotes with Joey on the Streets (624K) and Nana Nessa (119K). Human influencers scale linearly. AI character networks scale exponentially. 🌐
3/ The strategy is built to be shared. A) Novelty: AI grandma is a scroll-stopper. B) Permission: You're laughing at a ridiculous concept, not a real person. Guilt-free sharing. C) Controversy: Toxic advice creates polarization. Outrage and agreement both drive the algorithm. 📈
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
3/ The strategy is built to be shared. A) Novelty: AI grandma is a scroll-stopper. B) Permission: You're laughing at a ridiculous concept, not a real person. Guilt-free sharing. C) Controversy: Toxic advice creates polarization. Outrage and agreement both drive the algorithm. 📈
2/ She hit 1 million followers in 22 days. The growth hack wasn't better tech. It was better psychology. In a sea of perfect human influencers, an obviously synthetic character is a massive pattern interrupt. ⚡
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
2/ She hit 1 million followers in 22 days. The growth hack wasn't better tech. It was better psychology. In a sea of perfect human influencers, an obviously synthetic character is a massive pattern interrupt. ⚡
1/ Meet GrannySpills. An obviously AI grandmother created with Google's VEO3. She gives toxic dating advice from a pink Mercedes van. Launched July 4th, 2025. 👵
November 15, 2025 at 7:14 AM
1/ Meet GrannySpills. An obviously AI grandmother created with Google's VEO3. She gives toxic dating advice from a pink Mercedes van. Launched July 4th, 2025. 👵
7/ The platform's variable rewards (one Reel hitting 12M views) are designed to keep creators hooked. The "Oven Moment" is designed to keep users hooked. Build systems for retention. Growth becomes inevitable. 🧠📈
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
7/ The platform's variable rewards (one Reel hitting 12M views) are designed to keep creators hooked. The "Oven Moment" is designed to keep users hooked. Build systems for retention. Growth becomes inevitable. 🧠📈
6/ This is a psychological retention formula. It's the core marketing strategy. Fulfill the 3-second promise, and the user is locked in.
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
6/ This is a psychological retention formula. It's the core marketing strategy. Fulfill the 3-second promise, and the user is locked in.
5/ The pivot: He re-engineered the product around the "Oven Moment." Each episode now promised a dramatic transformation using one AI tool. Setup the tool, process the input, reveal the output.
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
5/ The pivot: He re-engineered the product around the "Oven Moment." Each episode now promised a dramatic transformation using one AI tool. Setup the tool, process the input, reveal the output.
4/ His "startup" (the show Overpowered) stalled. It sold abstract AI theory. "Users" (viewers) were low.
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
4/ His "startup" (the show Overpowered) stalled. It sold abstract AI theory. "Users" (viewers) were low.
3/ The "Oven Moment" is a psychological contract. A pizza goes in the oven. You must stay to see it come out. He saw BuzzFeed Tasty perfect this. Promise made, promise kept. 🍕
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
3/ The "Oven Moment" is a psychological contract. A pizza goes in the oven. You must stay to see it come out. He saw BuzzFeed Tasty perfect this. Promise made, promise kept. 🍕
2/ This judgment revealed the real growth hack. It's not discovery. It's retention. He calls it the "Oven Moment."
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
2/ This judgment revealed the real growth hack. It's not discovery. It's retention. He calls it the "Oven Moment."
1/ Most creators look for "users." Tanmay Bhat built a system to earn judgment. The input: 1,000 pages written a year. 300+ AIB sketches. Daily sitcoms. He compressed his feedback loops through sheer volume. ✍️
November 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
1/ Most creators look for "users." Tanmay Bhat built a system to earn judgment. The input: 1,000 pages written a year. 300+ AIB sketches. Daily sitcoms. He compressed his feedback loops through sheer volume. ✍️
7/ They turned their user acquisition process into a powerful, self-reinforcing SEO machine. A non-obvious growth loop that traded free value for manufactured engagement. 📈
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
7/ They turned their user acquisition process into a powerful, self-reinforcing SEO machine. A non-obvious growth loop that traded free value for manufactured engagement. 📈
5/ Google’s algorithm saw a powerful pattern. 1000s of people searched a term, clicked one result, and stayed. This long dwell time signaled a perfect match for user intent.
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
5/ Google’s algorithm saw a powerful pattern. 1000s of people searched a term, clicked one result, and stayed. This long dwell time signaled a perfect match for user intent.
4/ This is the brilliant part. Once on the site, the download wasn't immediate. Users were forced to wait. Countdown timers, moving buttons, and CAPTCHAs kept them actively engaged for 60-90 seconds.
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
4/ This is the brilliant part. Once on the site, the download wasn't immediate. Users were forced to wait. Countdown timers, moving buttons, and CAPTCHAs kept them actively engaged for 60-90 seconds.
3/ This drove thousands of motivated users to search for their target phrases. Users then had to find and click the Shairs.co link in the search results.
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
3/ This drove thousands of motivated users to search for their target phrases. Users then had to find and click the Shairs.co link in the search results.
2/ To get the download, users received specific instructions. Step 1: Open Google. Step 2: Search a high-intent keyword like "shairs.co buy wig now pay later".
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
2/ To get the download, users received specific instructions. Step 1: Open Google. Step 2: Search a high-intent keyword like "shairs.co buy wig now pay later".
1/ Their growth strategy was built on a trade. They offered premium files, ebooks, software, worth $100s for free. But the price wasn't money. It was a task.
November 13, 2025 at 8:43 AM
1/ Their growth strategy was built on a trade. They offered premium files, ebooks, software, worth $100s for free. But the price wasn't money. It was a task.
10/ You are not selling features. You are selling the ability to keep what users already built. A powerful growth model.
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 AM
10/ You are not selling features. You are selling the ability to keep what users already built. A powerful growth model.
9/ Snapchat uses this at scale. "8,227 memories since 2014." "Pay or lose them." They are selling protection from regret.
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 AM
9/ Snapchat uses this at scale. "8,227 memories since 2014." "Pay or lose them." They are selling protection from regret.
8/ The result: paid users double from 10% to 20%. Churn drops. Same traffic, 2-3x MRR. 💰
November 12, 2025 at 7:10 AM
8/ The result: paid users double from 10% to 20%. Churn drops. Same traffic, 2-3x MRR. 💰