How to Validate and Grow a SaaS Through Discord

TL;DR

Validate a SaaS by observing repeated questions inside niche Discord communities, demonstrating a working solution, and helping members before asking them to join. Sam Adeniyi used this approach to attract his first 400 users, then grew Algrow to over 10,000 users and more than $14,000 in revenue in the last 30 days, despite launching an initially buggy MVP.

Transcript

I built my first SAS around six, seven months ago. And last month, I did over $40,000 in revenue. >> This is Sam, a university student who built a SAS with zero coding [music] background. But here's the even crazier part. He validated this idea in a way I've never seen before. Discord. [music] >> I would mute my mic and literally just share my scre... Read More

Key Insights

• Algrow is a SaaS that helps creators research trending formats and generate videos based on formats that are working in real time. Its users can examine channel metrics, save promising channels, create videos through an AI generator, download them, and optimize them for their chosen platform.
• Sam's initial product idea came from experience with YouTube automation and a friend's question about finding more Shorts channels to operate. The concept addressed a problem Sam already understood, which gave him a practical basis for recognizing the needs and language of prospective customers.
• The first Algrow MVP was built in about a week despite Sam having no technical background. He began by transferring code generated through ChatGPT voice mode into Notepad, moved the project to VS Code, and later adopted Cursor after a friend recommended it.
• A useful MVP is defined by whether its main problem-solving function works, not whether every feature is polished. Algrow produced an application error for its first user, but the user could still access core functions, allowing Sam to collect meaningful evidence of demand.
• Discord validation works by studying existing conversations before promoting a product. Sam searched a niche server for the word niches and found members repeatedly asking how to discover or replicate a niche, giving him direct evidence that his tool addressed a recurring concern.
• Passive product demonstrations can generate curiosity without resembling unsolicited advertising. Sam joined Discord voice chats, muted his microphone, and shared his screen while using Algrow, prompting members to ask what he was using instead of requiring him to initiate a sales pitch.
• Community trust is built by helping members solve specific problems before asking them to buy. Sam used Algrow to find channels requested by members, which demonstrated the product's value in context and encouraged users to recommend it to friends through word of mouth.
• A waitlist can convert community curiosity into identifiable launch demand. After spending time demonstrating Algrow and participating in the server, Sam posted a signup link for interested members, while a server owner independently created a long-form promotional video about the product.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can Discord be used to validate a SaaS idea?

Discord can validate a SaaS idea by revealing the questions and problems that members repeatedly discuss inside a niche community. Sam searched server conversations for the word niches and noticed recurring requests about finding or replicating niches. He then demonstrated Algrow through screen sharing and watched whether members asked about it, providing direct evidence of interest before emphasizing sales.

Q: How did Sam get his first SaaS users through Discord?

Sam found a relevant server through discboard.org, participated in its voice chats, and shared his screen while silently using Algrow. Curious members asked what the tool was, allowing him to introduce it naturally. He also used the product to help people find requested channels. After building interest, he shared a waitlist and gained his first 400 users through Discord.

Q: How can a founder promote a product on Discord without appearing as spam?

A founder can avoid appearing as spam by learning the server rules, building rapport, and helping members before posting a promotional link. Sam did not enter the community with a generic request to use his tool. He demonstrated Algrow, answered concrete needs with it, and let members become curious. He introduced the waitlist only after establishing relevance and interest.

Q: What does Algrow do for content creators?

Algrow helps creators research and replicate viral content formats. It analyzes information such as subscriber counts and average views per video, then presents trending formats that are working in real time. Users can save channels they find useful, generate videos based on selected formats, download the results, optimize them for a chosen platform, and then publish them.

Q: Can a founder launch a SaaS before fixing every bug?

A founder can launch a buggy MVP when its core function still solves the intended problem. Algrow's first user encountered an application error, yet could access enough of the product's main features to use it. Sam concluded that an imperfect product can still support early validation when the central idea works, though his experience describes his own launch rather than guaranteeing another product's outcome.

Q: How did Sam build a SaaS without coding experience?

Sam described his idea through ChatGPT voice mode, received code, and initially copied that code into Notepad without understanding a conventional development workflow. He later found VS Code and continued transferring code there. After a friend recommended Cursor, he adopted that tool for further development. Using this process, he created the initial Algrow MVP in about a week.

Q: How should founders find relevant Discord communities for customer research?

Founders can start by identifying where their ideal customer profile already communicates, then search for Discord communities connected to that niche. Sam used discboard.org and entered niche keywords to locate servers. Inside a relevant community, he searched historical messages for recurring problem-related terms, which helped him distinguish an expressed customer need from an idea based only on assumption.

Q: Why did word of mouth help Algrow grow?

Word of mouth developed because Sam used Algrow to address a problem that community members already considered important. Rather than simply describing the software, he helped individuals find the types of channels they were seeking. Those useful interactions gave members a concrete reason to tell friends. Sam reported that users often said a friend had referred them when he asked where they came from.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Sam built Algrow without prior coding experience after recognizing a problem faced by YouTube automation operators. The SaaS researches trending content formats and helps creators reproduce them with an AI video generator. He assembled the initial MVP using ChatGPT-generated code, first in Notepad and later with VS Code and Cursor.

• The original MVP took about a week to create and produced an application error for its first user. However, some core features remained usable, so Sam treated it as sufficient for validation. His experience suggests an early product can attract interest despite technical flaws when its central function solves a recognizable customer problem.

• Sam found prospective users through niche Discord communities listed on discboard.org. He searched conversations for repeated questions, quietly demonstrated Algrow through screen sharing, and helped members with real requests. After establishing interest and rapport, he shared a waitlist. Community referrals and unsolicited promotion helped turn that early validation into customer growth.