Top 11 resources we used & would recommend to every early stage startups.
1) How to get your first 1,000 users (for consumer startups) - http://surl.li/ltcnrw
2) How to get started with a consumer startup - http://surl.li/yifihg
3) How startups die from their addiction to paid marketing by Andrew Chen- http://surl.li/wrbiis
4) Must-have document templates for every startup: pitch deck, financial model, one-pager, and advisor agreement - http://surl.li/tgjdmv
5) 95 Ways to find your first customers for customer development or your first sale - http://surl.li/bvxpxz
6) Discounts and credits for startups - https://www.f6s.com/deals
7) Find your co-founder- https://lnkd.in/d8SRPSgn or https://www.antler.co/ or attend eChai Ventures meetups
8) How Superhuman engineered product-market fit - http://surl.li/jdqckj
9)Wharton's Entrepreneurship Specialization on Coursera - http://surl.li/lgfqvi
10) Y Combinator Startup School - http://surl.li/rghpgi
11) Check balance sheet, revenues & expenses of your competitors for free - https://lnkd.in/dxMgm_ad
12) Bonus - if you wish to hire pre-vetted interns or freshers for your early team, use Beep - https://lnkd.in/de7NKVRx
1) How to get your first 1,000 users (for consumer startups) - http://surl.li/ltcnrw
2) How to get started with a consumer startup - http://surl.li/yifihg
3) How startups die from their addiction to paid marketing by Andrew Chen- http://surl.li/wrbiis
4) Must-have document templates for every startup: pitch deck, financial model, one-pager, and advisor agreement - http://surl.li/tgjdmv
5) 95 Ways to find your first customers for customer development or your first sale - http://surl.li/bvxpxz
6) Discounts and credits for startups - https://www.f6s.com/deals
7) Find your co-founder- https://lnkd.in/d8SRPSgn or https://www.antler.co/ or attend eChai Ventures meetups
8) How Superhuman engineered product-market fit - http://surl.li/jdqckj
9)Wharton's Entrepreneurship Specialization on Coursera - http://surl.li/lgfqvi
10) Y Combinator Startup School - http://surl.li/rghpgi
11) Check balance sheet, revenues & expenses of your competitors for free - https://lnkd.in/dxMgm_ad
12) Bonus - if you wish to hire pre-vetted interns or freshers for your early team, use Beep - https://lnkd.in/de7NKVRx
Considering every startup confronts this question at some point, I was surprised by how little has been written about it. Particularly anything actionable. So I decided to do my own digging. I spent the past month personally reaching out to founders, scouring interviews, and tapping the Twitterverse. Below, you’ll find first-hand accounts of how essentially every major consumer app acquired their earliest users, including Tinder, Uber, Superhuman, TikTok, Product Hunt, Yelp, and over a dozen more. Enjoy!
The eChai Effect - In Their Words
"eChai isn’t just a startup community … it’s a mindset . eChai has been one of the most impactful communities in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s been a turning point . In a world where building something can often feel isolating, eChai gave me a sense of belonging. I’ve found mentors, collaborators, and friends here — people who genuinely want to see you succeed. It’s a space where ideas are challenged, actions are celebrated, and founders grow not just in scale, but in clarity and confidence. From late-night ideas to early-morning pitches, this community has quietly but powerfully shaped the way I build, think, and dream. I’ll always be grateful for the way eChai creates spaces where founders don’t just grow businesses — they grow together."
Koumal Kalantry
Founder, Bignano Ventures
"eChai has been a game changer in my journey. It connected me with real people, real support and real opportunities. From building HMMBiz to launching Mindalcove, eChai has played a key role at every step. Grateful to be part of a community that truly believes in growing together."
Hardik Manwani
CTO, Mind Alcove
"I have evolved from role of Community Builder to Startup Consultant to Startup Ecosystem Enabler to Angel Investor and now launching a Venture Studio and eChai has been a catalyst in my overall journey as Startup Evangelist since 13 years."
Mehul Shah
Co-Founder at Counselvise & Ivy Growth
eChai Partner Brands
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.
