First 10 customers spreadsheet template
Short answer: a first 10 customers spreadsheet needs one row per real person and five columns: name, a link to where they described the problem, their exact words, why now and status. Fill 30 to 50 rows before you message anyone, starting with people you know, then people who asked for a product like yours in the past week. Work down the list one conversation at a time until ten people are using what you built.
Download the CSV templateFind people to add
The template
Copy these columns into Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers, or download the CSV above (it opens in all three; in Google Sheets use File, Import). The first five columns are the ones that matter.
| Column | What goes in it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Name or username | Who they are, so you can find them again | u/handle, @handle or a first name |
| Link | The post or comment where they described the problem | The exact thread URL, not their profile |
| Exact words | Their own sentence about the problem, copied | One line in quotes; no paraphrasing |
| Why now | What makes this week the right time to reach them | Posted in the last 7 days, complained about a competitor, just launched |
| Status | Where the conversation is | Not contacted, Replied, In DM or email, Trying it, Using it, Not a fit |
| Where (optional) | The community, so you follow its rules | r/Baking, X, an Indie Hackers thread, a Slack group |
| Last touch / next step (optional) | So nobody goes cold by accident | 2026-11-10 / DM if they answer |
What a filled row looks like
These rows are made up to show the level of detail. Every real row should have a working link and a quote you could show the person.
| Name | Link | Exact words | Why now | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| u/example_baker | link to their r/Baking post | "How do you all price custom cakes? I keep undercharging" | Posted 2 days ago, 14 comments, no tool suggested yet | Not contacted |
| @example_dev | link to their X post | "Is there anything simpler than [competitor] for release notes?" | Complaining about a competitor this week | Replied |
| Sam (former colleague) | your chat from last month | "I still do our invoices by hand every Friday" | Said it last month; you know them | In DM or email |
How to fill it in
- Write one line about who it's for. "A tool that helps [who] do [what]." Every row has to fit that sentence.
- Add people you already know first. Colleagues, beta users and friends who have the problem. Stripe Atlas's guide puts them at the top of the list and notes that warm introductions close more sales than an equal number of cold pitches. (Stripe Atlas: Your first 10 customers)
- Add people who asked this week. Search Reddit and X for your problem plus phrases like "is there a tool for", "alternative to" and "how do I". Copy the link and their sentence into the row. Our guide to finding people asking for your product on Reddit shows the searches.
- Add people complaining about a competitor. Look in comment threads under competitor launches and in "alternative to" posts.
- Cut weak rows. No link, no quote or nothing recent means it comes off or goes to the bottom.
- Stop at 50. JetThoughts' lesson has founders fill 50 rows in one sitting before sending anything, and Stripe Atlas says a few dozen names will keep you busy at first. (JetThoughts: Build your 50-name network list)
How to work the list
- Five to ten a day, top down. Reply in the thread first if the post is public and recent; answer the question, then mention what you built and say you made it. Check how to mention your product on Reddit without getting banned before you post.
- Update status the same day. When someone answers, move them to DM or email and write the next step in the row.
- One follow-up, then move on. If they go quiet, mark it and keep working the list.
- Read the "exact words" column weekly. The phrases that repeat are how your users describe the problem; use them in your replies and on your site.
Why these columns and not a sales CRM's
Most prospect templates track company, title, email and deal stage. That suits cold outbound to businesses. For your first ten users the question is simpler: does this person have the problem, and is now a good time? The link and exact words answer the first; why now answers the second. Stripe Atlas suggests starting with only a handful of columns (company, person, email), and JetThoughts uses six (name, company, role, bucket, relationship strength, last contact date). This template keeps it as small, but every column is about the problem rather than the company.
Where First10 fits
The slow part is step 3: finding people who asked this week. First10 (first10.dev) does it for Reddit. You describe your product in one line, and First10 searches recent public Reddit posts (X coming soon) for people asking for a product like yours, scores each for buying intent and emails you the best ones with a short reply draft. Each one gives you a ready row: the link, their words and why now. It never posts for you; you edit and send every reply from your own account. Free: top 5 posts once a week. First Look: $9 one-off report. Solo: $19/month for the top 10 every morning. Pro: $49/month for three products.
Questions founders ask
What columns should a first 10 customers spreadsheet have?
Five are enough: name or username, a link to where they described the problem, their exact words, why now (what makes this a good week to reach them) and status. Add where they are, last touch and next step if you want to track follow-ups. Skip company size, revenue and lead scores until you have ten users.
How many rows should a first-customer list have?
Start with 30 to 50 named people. Stripe Atlas's guide says a few dozen names will keep you busy at first, and JetThoughts' lesson has founders fill 50 rows before sending anything. Stop at 50, check the quality, then add more only if the first batch runs dry.
Why record the person's exact words?
Their own words prove they have the problem and give you the language for your reply. A message that quotes what someone actually wrote reads as a reply to them, not a pitch, and patterns in the quotes tell you how to describe your product on your site.
What counts as "why now"?
Anything that makes this week the right time: a post from the last few days asking for a tool, a complaint about a competitor, a new launch or project, or a job change. Rows with no recent signal go to the bottom or come off the list.
Should I use a CRM instead of a spreadsheet for my first customers?
Not yet. With 30 to 50 people a spreadsheet is faster to set up, easier to change and free. Move to a CRM when the list outgrows one screen or more than one person works it.
Where do I find people to put in the spreadsheet?
Start with people you already know who have the problem. Then add people who recently asked for a product like yours on Reddit or X, and people complaining about a competitor. First10 (first10.dev) finds the Reddit posts for you and emails them ranked by buying intent, each with a reply draft you post yourself.
Also useful: how to find your first 10 users (the full playbook this list belongs to), how to find people asking for your product on Reddit, AI tools to find your first customers and our pricing.