How to Get Your First 10 Customers

When most founders look for customers, they reach for cold email and automation tools. But your first 10 customers almost never come from a tool. They come from you, working your warm network and doing the unscalable things most people won't. In this episode of Startup School, YC Visiting Partner Max Kolysh breaks down the real tactics for getting those first 10 customers — where your buyer actually spends their time, why showing up in person wins, and why doing it yourself is your biggest advantage right now. Apply to Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/apply Work at a startup: https://www.ycombinator.com/jobs 0:00 - Why the first 10 are different 0:54 - Where does your buyer actually spend their time? 2:45 - Customers 1–3: work your warm network first 4:20 - Get in the room: show up in person 5:14 - Conferences and founder dinners 6:15 - Find where your customers complain online 7:30 - How to go outbound: Apollo, Clay, and LinkedIn 8:35 - Frame outreach as advice 10:20 - Writing outreach that sounds human 13:15 - Recap: The first 10 come from you

Max Kolyshguest

Jun 22, 202613mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: June 22, 2026
Duration: 13m
Channel: Y Combinator
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

When most founders look for customers, they reach for cold email and automation tools. But your first 10 customers almost never come from a tool. They come from you, working your warm network and doing the unscalable things most people won't. In this episode of Startup School, YC Visiting Partner Max Kolysh breaks down the real tactics for getting those first 10 customers — where your buyer actually spends their time, why showing up in person wins, and why doing it yourself is your biggest advantage right now. Apply to Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/apply Work at a startup: https://www.ycombinator.com/jobs 0:00 - Why the first 10 are different 0:54 - Where does your buyer actually spend their time? 2:45 - Customers 1–3: work your warm network first 4:20 - Get in the room: show up in person 5:14 - Conferences and founder dinners 6:15 - Find where your customers complain online 7:30 - How to go outbound: Apollo, Clay, and LinkedIn 8:35 - Frame outreach as advice 10:20 - Writing outreach that sounds human 13:15 - Recap: The first 10 come from you

SPEAKERS

Max Kolysh
guest
Visiting Partner at Y Combinator who advises founders on early customer acquisition and sales.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Y Combinator, featuring Max Kolysh, How to Get Your First 10 Customers explores tactical playbook for landing your first 10 startup customers Start by identifying where your specific buyer actually spends time, since defaulting to email/LinkedIn fails for many non-deskbound industries.

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