Pinterest's story is unique because it contradicts the "grow fast or die" mentality. Founder Ben Silbermann personally onboarded early users, sending handwritten thank-you notes and conducting coffee meetings. After 9 months, Pinterest had only 5,000 users. But those users were deeply engaged, creating the foundation for explosive organic growth that would follow.
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Apply Pinterest's approach: build deep engagement before seeking scale, and invest in your early community.