FAQ: Where do my first 100 members come from?

Not from ads. The first 100 come from people you can name. Build the list before you build the community.

The Named-100 sourcing checklist:
☐ 20 from past clients or buyers (highest trust)
☐ 20 from your DMs of the last 90 days
☐ 15 from people who replied to your content
☐ 15 from two adjacent communities you already participate in
☐ 10 from co-founders or teammates' personal invites
☐ 20 reserved for referrals from the first 80

Invite each by personal message, not a broadcast link. Cadence: 10 invites a day for 10 days, so you can greet every joiner the same day they arrive.

The trigger to switch to public/paid growth: 60 of the first 100 posted at least once. Below that, you have a leaky bucket, not a growth problem.

Save this for your next launch.