Originally published in SeedStage Digest (Nov 2023)
What should a founder really be doing in their first 100 days?
While most advice online focuses on branding, pitch decks, and splashy launches, the reality — especially for solo or bootstrapped founders — looks very different. The first three months are less about headlines and more about uncomfortable clarity.
We spoke to dozens of early-stage founders to create this real-world playbook for your first 100 days post-idea.
**Day 1–30: Validate Like Your Life Depends On It**
Talk to users. Yes, this is the cliché — but few actually do it right. Don’t just ask people if they like your idea. Ask them what they already pay for. Ask them what they do when things break. Ask them what they’ve duct-taped together.
“You want desperation,” said founder Dave Lim. “If your user isn’t already spending time or money solving the problem, it’s not real yet.”
**Day 31–60: Build Tiny, Ship Fast**
This isn’t the time for polish. You want the smallest possible version of your product — even if it’s a Notion doc or a Typeform link.
Your goal: uncover friction. “I launched a waitlist and just emailed every person who signed up,” said Aria Finch, who built a lightweight scheduling tool. “The real value came from the 1-on-1 feedback, not the automation.”
**Day 61–100: Systems, Signal, and Skin in the Game**
Once something’s working (even a little), now’s the time to build systems. That could mean payment flows, onboarding emails, or just a repeatable way to talk to customers every week.
Start documenting your learnings — both for yourself and for future hires or collaborators. And if the product is starting to click, raise your prices. Give users something to commit to.
“I charged $5/month for a hacked-together prototype,” said Finch. “And 9 people paid. That’s how I knew I had something.”
The first 100 days won’t feel glamorous. They’ll feel chaotic, messy, and humbling. But done right, they lay the foundation for everything to come.
Yeah!!! this is common sense though