Genuinely curious if you re building something that s free to use (especially early on), how do you actually get users and start building a community?

I m working on a social-first platform for sports bettors, and while we ll eventually monetize through paid tools, the core community part is free. I m trying to figure out the best way to grow it without burning out or throwing money at the wrong things.

Do you:

• Run ads even if it s free?

• Launch an affiliate/referral program?

• Focus entirely on organic?

• DM people directly?

• Or just hope the product is good enough to catch on?

Hey everyone

I m Shaalin, a second-time founder from Ohio now building out of Miami. I ve always been obsessed with both business and sports betting, and after years of spreadsheets, Discord groups, and overpriced pick sellers, I realized something was missing

So I teamed up with one of my friend to build ProPicks a social-first platform for smarter sports bettors. Think Twitter meets Bloomberg live odds, trending picks, polls, and real-time betting discussion with actual sharp bettors.

We re launching June 1 and will be on Product Hunt! Right now I m in the trenches: finalizing the site, setting up our affiliate program, and trying to grow our waitlist without burning out.