Big news - we’re evolving! What started as Axel’s Newsletter is now The Growth Lab: your go-to playbook for marketing strategies, development insights, and SaaS growth best practices.

Why the change? Because growth isn’t just about working hard - it’s about working smart. Whether you’re launching a new SaaS product, scaling a business, or fine-tuning your marketing strategy, The Growth Lab is here to fuel your next big move.

…And well, I, (Nadia 💁🏽‍♀️) write most of the newsletters these days so “Axel’s” newsletter wouldn’t work anymore, would it?!

What can you expect? In every edition, we’ll break down real-world tactics, uncover what’s working (and what’s not), and share insights to help you build, launch, and grow -relentlessly.

Let’s dive in.

^{The Brutal Truth About Finding Your First 10 SaaS Customers}

Most founders fail before reaching 10 customers. Not because their product is inadequate, but because they follow outdated playbooks written by people without recent firsthand experience.

What actually works today:
The most common mistake we see - founders marketing far too late.
While your code may be excellent, it's your landing page that makes the first impression.

Building your audience before your product is critical for early success.

I've witnessed countless founders spend months developing their product in isolation, only to launch to complete silence. I made this exact mistake with my first venture.

The successful founders? They're marketing from day one, building anticipation and gathering feedback while they develop.

Don't wait until your product is "perfect" to start attracting customers. Begin building relationships, establishing credibility, and creating demand the moment you commit to your idea.

Lastly… DO 👏 NOT 👏 FORGET 👏 TO 👏 MARKET 👏 YOUR 👏 PRODUCT

Wake up every day and think to yourself (before you start coming up with new feature ideas), how can I draw attention to my product today

🛠️🧰

^{How to build your minimalist AI toolkit in 3 steps}

How fed up are you right now with just how many NEW AI tools are out there?!?!

We are.

The paradox of choice is real, having too many options can lead to decision paralysis and ultimately, adoption failure. That's where the minimalist AI toolkit approach comes in.

Rather than trying to incorporate dozens of AI tools into your workflow, start with a focused strategy that targets your most significant pain points:

1. List your 3 most time-consuming daily tasks.

2. Find ONE AI tool that helps with each.

3. Set aside 15 min daily to practice with each tool.

4. I know we said three steps, but here’s another. Don’t rely only on these tools to solve your problems. AI works best as a copilot, so treat it as an extension of yourself or an intern.

By focusing on just 3 tools aligned with your most pressing needs, you:

• Reduce cognitive load and decision fatigue

• Increase the likelihood of successful adoption

• Create momentum through visible productivity gains

• Develop deeper expertise with each tool

^{Reach a bigger audience with Thread Boy!}

We haven’t officially launched Thread Boy on product hunt, but we have been talking about it on other platforms and we already have users experiencing some of their best reach ever.
It’s safe to say people are experiencing success. Just take a look at the feedback from Dave and Nico’s screenshot of the engagement on his post on LinkedIn.

A bonus for you - we did a little team building watch a recap and get inspired!