From Hustle to Hit: Opencord AI’s Secrets to Bootstrap Glory

Welcome to Maven Club, the go-to newsletter for early-stage founders tackling go-to-market puzzles, chasing product-market fit, and scaling on a shoestring. Today, we unpack the journey of Kelly, co-founder of Opencord AI, a social media lead-gen AI that’s redefining how startups connect and win deals online. From Singapore, Kelly’s bootstrapped team hit product-market fit in October 2024 by blending hustle, iteration, and customer obsession.

Unlike venture-fueled giants, Opencord AI grew through organic traction, authentic founder storytelling, and laser-focused user insights. Here are eight lessons from Kelly’s path—each packed with transcript examples and actionable takeaways to supercharge your startup.

1. Iterate Fast to Find Your Fit—PMF Isn’t a One-Shot Deal

“Finding product-market fit is like solving a puzzle with missing pieces—you keep trying until it clicks.” 

Many founders think product-market fit (PMF) comes from a single brilliant idea, but Kelly shows it’s a grind of testing and tweaking. Opencord AI launched its first MVP in September 2023, just months after forming, but didn’t hit PMF until October 2024 after multiple pivots. They tested three AI agents—OpenTwitter, a video-clipping tool, and OpenAgent—learning what users valued most through each version. “It took us over a year... we finally achieved our early product market fit in 2024, October, which is our fourth, almost third product launch.”

Founder Takeaways:

1. Launch an MVP within 3-6 months, even if it’s rough, to gather real-world feedback fast.

2. Experiment with multiple product angles, like Opencord’s three agents, to pinpoint what resonates.

3. Look for retention signals—daily active users and paid conversions—as proof you’ve found PMF.

2. Tell Your Story Loudly—Founder-Led Marketing Builds Trust

“Your journey as a founder is your startup’s best pitch.” 

Founders often shy away from public sharing, fearing it’s self-promotion, but Kelly proves it’s a growth superpower. By posting about Opencord AI’s “built-in public” progress, she attracted curious followers and built trust. “If we talk about founder-led marketing, you have to post a lot to talk about your built-in public progress, to share about your learning, no matter if it's good or bad,” she says. This transparency not only drove traffic but also helped her reflect on her own path.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Share weekly updates on LinkedIn or X, mixing wins (e.g., new features) with lessons from failures.

2. Embrace vulnerability to connect authentically, like Kelly’s candid posts about her journey.

3. Engage with every comment on your posts to spark conversations with potential users or allies.

3. Scale with AI Smarts—Automate Without Losing Soul

“AI can amplify your voice, but it’s your personality that makes it stick.”

Time-strapped founders can’t be everywhere, but Kelly shows AI can stretch your reach without sounding robotic. Opencord AI automates social media replies, embedding the user’s tone to feel human. “We used the Opencord AI acts on your behalf through your account... we found the most effective way has some of your personality in it,” she explains. This lets founders engage influencers’ posts, driving profile visits without endless manual work.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Use AI to handle repetitive tasks like drafting social media replies, then edit to match your vibe.

2. Train AI with your writing style to keep outputs authentic, as Kelly’s team prioritized.

3. Focus automation on high-ROI platforms where your audience hangs out, like X for techies.

4. Crack the Platform Code—One Size Doesn’t Fit All

“Every platform speaks a different language—learn it or lose out.” 

Founders often blast the same message across platforms, but Kelly warns this flops. Each platform has unique norms, and OpenCord AI tailored its approach accordingly. On Reddit, long, helpful posts won: “On Reddit, you have to really write a long post to first of all reply to people’s questions. And then softly mention your product.” One customer, an AI interview company, landed 10+ clients in a week by using OpenCord AI to nail Reddit’s style.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Lurk on a platform for a week to decode its tone and what gets traction before posting.

2. Prioritize value over sales pitches, like Kelly’s soft-sell Reddit strategy, to build trust.

3. Master one platform (e.g., Reddit or X) before spreading efforts across others.

5. Chase Revenue First—Build AI That Pays Its Way

“Money in the bank fuels your hustle more than dreams do.” 

Bootstrapped founders can’t afford to chase vanity metrics, and Kelly learned this the hard way. Early on, OpenTwitter overpromised “10,000 followers in a week,” which tanked trust when it didn’t deliver. Refocusing on reliable workflows like targeted replies turned things around. “Think about an effective workflow that can make you money faster than any other workflow,” she advises, stressing revenue as a bootstrap lifeline.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Zero in on one AI task your users will pay for, like automating lead-gen replies.

2. Avoid hyping undeliverable features, as Kelly learned from OpenTwitter’s misstep.

3. Tie pricing to tangible outcomes (e.g., time saved) to justify costs to users.

6. Listen to Your Users—Interviews Are Growth Gold

“Your early customers know more about your startup than you do.” 

Founders often skip customer chats, assuming they know best, but Kelly shows they’re a goldmine. After hitting PMF, Opencord AI interviewed all paid users to uncover why they signed up and where they hung out. “We did a campaign, user interview campaign, with our all paid customers... If I know more about their pain and I know where they’re hanging out, I would know better than how I can reach more people like them,” she says. This shaped their go-to-market plan.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Call your first 20 customers for 10-minute chats about their pain and how they found you.

2. Double down on channels (e.g., Product Hunt) where users say they discovered you.

3. Use interview patterns to tweak messaging or target new customer segments.

7. Dodge the Ad Trap—Organic Beats Paid Without Expertise

“Ads can bleed you dry if you don’t know what you’re doing.” 

Paid ads tempt founders with quick wins, but Kelly found them a dud without know-how. Opencord AI tested X, Reddit, and Google ads but saw dismal ROI: “I don’t really see those are very effective... perhaps we either don’t understand the ad very well.” Organic channels like Product Hunt drove better conversions, proving bootstrappers should lean on free traction first.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Cap ad tests at 10% of your budget and pull the plug if ROI lags after a month.

2. Prioritize organic growth via communities or content until you nail your audience.

3. If ads are essential, hire a consultant to avoid Kelly’s trial-and-error losses.

8. Grind the Unscalable—Manual Work Sparks Big Wins

“The smallest chats can lead to your biggest breakthroughs.” 

Founders dream of automation, but Kelly shows manual hustle lays the groundwork. She promoted Opencord AI across 50-60 Telegram, WeChat, and LinkedIn groups for Product Hunt launches, sparking feedback and fans. “You might find someone who genuinely love your product or hates your product... those comments or feedback or just mini conversation on all the social media is important,” she notes, highlighting how these efforts fueled insights.

Founder Takeaways:

1. Spend an hour daily in niche communities (e.g., Slack, Reddit) sharing your product by hand.

2. Embrace critical feedback from groups—it can reveal fixes to boost retention.

3. Turn engaged users into advocates by responding personally to build loyalty.

Final Thought: Hustle with Heart, Grow with Grit

Kelly’s Opencord AI journey is a masterclass in bootstrapping with purpose. By iterating fast, sharing authentically, and listening deeply, she turned a scrappy idea into a product users love. For founders, the question is: Are you grinding smart and building for real pain? Focus on revenue, engage your users, and don’t fear the manual work—it’s your edge.

Call to Action: Pick one tactic—maybe user interviews or a Reddit deep dive—and test it this week. Drop your results on X with #MavenClub. We’re rooting for you!

Until next time,

Maven Club