Not exactly viral.
But Ben Silbermann did something most founders wouldn’t:
He personally emailed every single user.
He asked for feedback. He made them feel heard.
He showed up — again and again — until the product clicked.
💡 The insight:
Pinterest didn’t explode overnight.
It grew because the founder didn’t just build a product — he built a relationship with early users.
💼 At LvlUp Ventures, we’ve seen it over and over:
The best early-stage teams don’t just launch. They learn faster than the competition.
We’re not looking for hockey stick growth in month 1.
We’re looking for:
✅ Tight feedback loops
✅ Relentless founder-user obsession
✅ The humility to listen and the speed to iterate
Early traction isn’t about going viral — it’s about going deep.
💬 Are you currently raising funding? LvlUp Ventures and our 15+ funding partners are investing! Drop your company name and a quick elevator pitch in the comments—I’ll guarantee a DM from me.
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