Insights from the Y Combinator episode “How to Get Your First 10 Customers”, published June 22, 2026.
Founders often waste months on cold email automation before finding product-market fit. Max, a YC partner, argues that the first 10 customers require manual, unscalable tactics like in-person meetings, leveraging personal networks, and deep community engagement. Automation tools only become effective once you have a proven, high-converting pitch.
Topics: startup sales, founder-led sales, YC, customer acquisition, B2B
