6 builders who never spoke to each other

Fix the step new users never get past

Find the single point where signups stall and repair that, rather than adding features or buying more traffic on top of a leak. Starting people from a finished template instead of an empty screen, and switching on the capability that seals the decision instead of hiding it behind documentation, are the cheap versions of the same fix.

The method

1. 01

   Find the single step new users never reach and fix that, rather than adding features or buying more traffic.

2. 02

   Ship templates inside the product so a first-time user starts from a finished example instead of an empty page.

3. 03

   Do not leave a headline capability switched off behind the documentation; a happy user should not have to dig to find the feature that seals the deal.

4. 04

   Keep first-run setup short enough that any member of a team can finish it without pulling in a developer.

5. 05

   Plan the import path for whatever data new users already hold, or they cannot get started and the signup is wasted.

What it returned

• 30

  Connecting Hints takes around 30 seconds and needs no technical expert, which is the compliment users repeat most.

• Only a quarter of people who signed up ever published their first post.

• Notion carries ready-made templates covering common roles and team types, available without leaving the app.

• Push-to-deploy was disabled by default and Justin only enabled it after going through the docs.

Sources

• Regret Aversion - Why We Buy 🧠Katelyn Bourgoin · customercamp.co · Create quick post-purchase wins · undated
• Why I bought your softwareJustin Jackson · justinjackson.ca · Scene 5: the moment of truth · undated
• Reinventing the digital assistant with George Levin, founder of HintsGeorge Levin · nesslabs.com · Reinventing the digital assistant with George Levin, founder of Hints · 2023-01-19
• Building the world's most customizable workspace with Ivan Zhao, co-founder of NotionIvan Zhao · nesslabs.com · Building the world's most customizable workspace with Ivan Zhao, co-founder of Notion · 2021-03-12
• Eventloot: Failing to Listen Feedback Means $20,000 LossJustin Anyanwu · failory.com · Which were the causes of Eventloot failure? · undated
• I Disappeared for 7 Months. Here's What Happened.Luca Restagno · solopreneurtofreedom.com · 🤔 What Plateau Taught Me · 2026-02-06
• My onboarding was a lieLuca Restagno · solopreneurtofreedom.com · My onboarding was a lie · 2026-03-27