The author shares how they gained their first 1,000 users for their startup, Willow, through strategic engagement on Reddit without spending any money. Reddit's platform is rich with potential users discussing their challenges, making it ideal for early-stage startups. The key is to blend in as a regular user before promoting your product. Founders often make the mistake of pushing their product too early, which can lead to bans. Instead, spending several days interacting with the community helps build credibility and trust. Choosing the right subreddits is essential. The author targeted productivity and Mac-related communities, analyzing top posts to understand what drives engagement. They found that storytelling resonated well, with successful posts following a clear narrative arc. When crafting posts, they emphasized providing valuable content—95% focused on storytelling or helpful insights, with only 5% mentioning their product indirectly. They avoided direct links to prevent being flagged, opting for a clever name that people could easily search. Scaling content is crucial. The author approached posting like a sales strategy, drafting numerous posts each day and tracking their performance. While some posts failed, others gained traction, revealing patterns for success. For those looking to scale further, the author suggests investing in aged Reddit accounts and using tools like VPNs for anonymity, albeit acknowledging the more technical and less glamorous side of this approach. The insights gained from this process not only helped acquire users but also deepened their understanding of user psychology on Reddit.