Every startup dreams of having loyal users who not only use the product but talk about it, share it, and help improve it. These aren’t just customers—they’re something more powerful. They’re earlyvangelists.

But here’s the thing: not every early user is an earlyvangelist. And if you mistake one for the other, you could end up building a product no one actually needs.

Earlyvangelists are the lifeblood of early-stage startups. They’re the users who feel the pain, want the solution, and are ready to partner with you to build something better. They’re your first real validation—living proof that your startup is on to something.

So how do you find them? What makes them different? And how can they accelerate your journey to product-market fit?

Let’s dive into the role of earlyvangelists, how to spot them, and what to do once you’ve got one on your side.

Introduction

Why Earlyvangelists Are Crucial in Early-Stage Startups

When you're starting a business, your biggest challenge isn’t building—it’s proving someone wants what you’re building. You need evidence, fast. Not likes or email signups—real people with real problems, willing to pay for real solutions.

That’s where earlyvangelists come in.

They give you:

• Honest feedback (even when it stings)

• Fast validation (or rejection) of your assumptions

• A potential source of testimonials and referrals

Most importantly, they’re the foundation of problem-solution fit. If you can solve a painful problem for a handful of earlyvangelists, you’re on your way.

The Difference Between an Interested User and a True Earlyvangelist

Plenty of people will say, “That sounds cool” or “I’d use that.” But talk is cheap.

A true earlyvangelist is someone who:

• Feels the pain deeply

• Is actively looking for relief

• Has tried to solve the problem themselves

• Is willing to pay (or at least spend serious time testing)

If you build for lukewarm users, you’ll end up with a lukewarm product. But if you build for earlyvangelists, you’ll create something people truly need.

What Is an Earlyvangelist?

The Term and Its Origin (Steve Blank)

The term “earlyvangelist” comes from startup guru Steve Blank, author of The Four Steps to the Epiphany. He coined it to describe the users who are so desperate for a solution that they’ll take a chance on an unfinished product.

They don’t just adopt new tech—they evangelize it. They champion your product before it's perfect, not because it’s trendy, but because it solves a problem they can’t ignore.

Earlyvangelists vs. Early Adopters

While similar, earlyvangelists and early adopters are not the same.

Earlyvangelists are often a subset of early adopters—but they’re the ones that matter most in the early days.

Why Earlyvangelists Are Your First Real Customers

They’re not just interested. They’re invested.

These users:

• Understand their problem intimately

• See your product as the best hope

• Are willing to tolerate bugs and missing features

• Offer raw, actionable feedback

When you find an earlyvangelist, it’s not just validation—it’s a partnership.

The 5 Characteristics of an Earlyvangelist

According to Steve Blank, a true earlyvangelist checks five crucial boxes. If you find someone who hits all five, you’ve struck startup gold.

1. They Have a Problem

Obvious? Maybe. But without a clear pain point, there's no motivation to change. Earlyvangelists feel the pain deeply and daily.

Ask them:

• “What’s the biggest frustration in your workflow?”

• “What’s costing you time or money right now?”

If they can’t describe a clear, specific problem, they’re not an earlyvangelist.

2. They Know They Have the Problem

Plenty of people have problems they ignore. Earlyvangelists are consciously aware of the issue. It’s top of mind, not buried under a pile of other annoyances.

They’ll say things like:

• “This is driving me crazy.”

• “I’ve been trying to fix this for weeks.”

• “If you could solve this, I’d pay today.”

3. They’re Actively Looking for a Solution

Passive sufferers won’t help you build. You want the ones who are already Googling, calling vendors, or hacking things together.

Signs they’re actively searching:

• They’ve booked demos or trials with other tools

• They’re reading forums or asking peers

• They’re attending events or webinars to solve it

4. They’ve Tried to Build a Workaround

This is the golden signal. Earlyvangelists are so frustrated that they’ve already spent time or money trying to solve it themselves.

Examples:

• Built a spreadsheet to track something

• Hired freelancers to automate a process

• Pieced together multiple tools into a duct-tape solution

This shows urgency and budget—two things that validate real need.

5. They Have a Budget (or Are Willing to Pay)

If they say, “I’d love it if it were free,” walk away. Real earlyvangelists either:

• Already spend money solving the problem

• Are prepared to allocate budget if the solution works

• See clear ROI from solving the issue

This doesn't mean you need to charge right away. But it does mean they should want to pay—because the value is obvious.

Why You Need Earlyvangelists in the Discovery Phase

Startups often rush into building products based on assumptions or feedback from “maybe” users—people who like the idea, but won’t pay, engage, or evangelize. That’s why earlyvangelists are your most critical asset in the discovery and validation phases.

Without them, you’re building in the dark.

Feedback That Accelerates Validation

Earlyvangelists don’t sugarcoat. They tell you:

• What’s broken

• What’s missing

• What they actually need (not what they think they want)

Unlike casual users, they give you detailed, honest, and actionable feedback. Because they care. Because they need a solution. And because they want you to succeed—so they can benefit too.

Every feature you ship becomes a learning opportunity. Every iteration brings you closer to a product that solves a real-world problem.

And since earlyvangelists already feel the pain, they help you validate your assumptions fast—far faster than you ever could with surveys, guesswork, or random beta testers.

Willingness to Co-Create and Test

One of the defining traits of earlyvangelists is their eagerness to co-create.

They’ll:

• Jump on weekly feedback calls

• Send detailed notes on what works and what doesn’t

• Tolerate bugs, crashes, and unfinished UX

• Offer use cases you hadn’t considered

They don’t expect polish. They expect progress. As long as you’re moving forward and listening, they’ll stick around—and even help you test new ideas.

In fact, many founders say their best product decisions came directly from their earlyvangelists.

Strong Signals of Product-Market Fit

Here’s a simple rule: if you can’t find earlyvangelists, you haven’t found a real problem.

They are your canaries in the coal mine. If your idea doesn’t resonate with them, it won’t resonate with a broader audience.

But if you can build something that 5–10 earlyvangelists use consistently, repeatibly, tell others about, and ask to pay for—you’re on your way to product-market fit.

Their enthusiasm is a leading indicator that you’re solving something meaningful.

How to Identify an Earlyvangelist in Practice

It’s one thing to know what an earlyvangelist looks like. It’s another to spot one in the wild.

Here’s how to separate the truly valuable from the vaguely interested.

What to Listen for in Customer Interviews

Your best tool? A good conversation.

When you’re interviewing potential users, listen carefully for:

• Emotion: “This drives me nuts!” “I lose hours every week because of this.”

• Urgency: “I need to fix this yesterday.” “I can’t scale without solving this.”

• History: “We’ve tried everything. Nothing works.” “We’ve hacked together a temporary solution.”

Those phrases are gold.

Avoid people who say:

• “That sounds kind of cool.”

• “We might use something like that.”

• “Let us know when it’s finished.”

Those aren’t earlyvangelists. They’re just being polite.

Behavioral vs. Verbal Cues

Talk is cheap. Actions matter.

Behavioral signals that someone is an earlyvangelist:

• They reply fast and follow up

• They ask to see prototypes

• They share their own data, workflows, or spreadsheets

• They loop in colleagues or stakeholders

• They offer to beta test—even if it’s not perfect

The more skin they put in the game (time, data, access), the more likely they’re real.

The Right Questions to Ask

To filter for earlyvangelists, use questions like:

1. “Tell me about the last time this problem happened.”
   (You’re looking for recency and emotion.)

2. “How are you dealing with this problem today?”
   (You’re looking for evidence of workaround or frustration.)

3. “Have you looked at other solutions?”
   (You’re looking for intent and dissatisfaction.)

4. “What happens if this problem doesn’t get solved?”
   (You’re testing impact and urgency.)

5. “What would solving this be worth to you?”
   (You’re gauging willingness to pay.)

Use these in conversations, not just surveys. The goal is to listen, not pitch.

Red Flags: When Someone Isn’t an Earlyvangelist

Not everyone who says “yes” is worth building for. Some users will:

• Love your vision

• Like your pitch

• Say they’d use the product

• Even sign up for the beta

But they don’t really care. Not enough to act. Not enough to pay. Not enough to help shape your solution.

“Nice to Have” Responses

If someone says:

• “It would be nice to have.”

• “I could see us using this at some point.”

• “We’re happy with our current setup, but open to exploring.”

That’s a red flag.

Earlyvangelists are desperate, not curious. Curious users kill startups—because they consume time but give you nothing in return.

No Real Pain or Urgency

If the problem they describe:

• Isn’t costing them time or money

• Doesn’t impact their goals or KPIs

• Hasn’t been brought up in team meetings or decisions

Then it’s not real. Not urgent. And not worth building for.

Vague Feedback and Passive Interest

If someone gives feedback like:

• “Seems cool.”

• “Let me know when it’s ready.”

• “We’ll check it out later.”

Don’t chase them. Thank them. Move on.

Your job isn’t to convince people they have a problem. It’s to find the people who already know—and need help now.

What to Do Once You’ve Found an Earlyvangelist

Great—you’ve found someone who checks all five boxes. Now what?

Involve Them in Product Development

Make them part of your journey:

• Share your roadmap and get their input

• Invite them to test early builds

• Show progress and ask for feedback often

This not only improves your product—it builds trust and loyalty.

Turn Them into Case Studies and Referrers

Once they’ve seen value:

• Ask for a testimonial

• Create a short case study

• Encourage them to refer others in similar roles or industries

Earlyvangelists are often hubs in their networks. If your product helps them shine, they’ll spread the word organically.

Build Early Traction with Their Help

Use their stories, quotes, and usage data to:

• Improve your messaging

• Convince investors

• Attract other earlyvangelists

Every earlyvangelist is a step closer to traction—and a signal you’re on the right path.:

Conclusion: Earlyvangelists Are Your Startup’s Secret Weapon

In the early days of your startup, you don’t need a thousand users. You need a handful of the right ones—the kind who feel the pain so intensely that they’re willing to go on the journey with you.

That’s what earlyvangelists are.

They are:

• Your fastest path to product validation

• Your most valuable source of feedback

• Your first case studies, champions, and references

• The foundation of real, lasting product-market fit

But finding them requires discipline. You need to listen more than you pitch. You need to test assumptions instead of forcing them. And most importantly, you need to filter ruthlessly for users who check all five boxes.

Don’t waste your time building for people who are “kinda interested.”
Build for people who are desperately searching for a solution—and who want to help you create it.

Because once you find and serve earlyvangelists, the rest will follow.

FAQs

1. What’s the difference between an early adopter and an earlyvangelist?

An early adopter is someone who likes trying new things. An earlyvangelist, on the other hand, is someone who is actively searching for a solution to a painful problem and is willing to take a chance on an unfinished product. Earlyvangelists are emotionally and financially invested in solving their problem.

2. Can earlyvangelists exist in both B2B and B2C markets?

Absolutely. In B2B, they’re often ops leads, managers, or founders with clear KPIs and pain points. In B2C, they’re passionate hobbyists, freelancers, or niche users who care deeply about solving a specific issue. In both cases, their urgency and willingness to engage set them apart.

3. How many earlyvangelists do I need to validate my idea?

You don’t need hundreds. Often, at least 10 true earlyvangelists can give you all the insights you need to refine your product, test your messaging, and move toward problem-solution fit. The key is depth of engagement, not volume.

4. What tools can I use to find earlyvangelists?

Start with customer interviews, LinkedIn outreach, and niche communities (Slack groups, forums, subreddits). Use landing pages with clear value propositions and test signup intent. Track not just who signs up, but who engages consistently and shares feedback.

5. Should I offer discounts or incentives to earlyvangelists?

Only if it helps you learn faster. Earlyvangelists don’t need bribes—they need solutions. That said, offering perks like early access, direct support, or visibility into your roadmap can build loyalty. Discounts are fine, but they’re not the reason earlyvangelists show up.