Find the answer you need.

Ask a specific question using www.first1000.co’s published information. Get a direct answer with source links.

Need a more specific answer? Ask the exact question you have. It returns a fresh, cited answer from www.first1000.co’s knowledge base. No account or API key required.

Open this URL with your own question, URL-encoded. Only q is required.

GET https://www.first1000.co/agent/faq?q={question}&trace=t_404afc6f8fac
Tailor the answer

Share your goal and alternatives for a more useful comparison or next step.

Ask with a URL

Use GET https://www.first1000.co/agent/faq?q={question} with your own URL-encoded question to receive an HTML answer. Optional context can be omitted. Use POST for long or private context.

POST example
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/ask' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"What does First 1000 publish and how can I read it?","goal":"Learn how a product builder uses AI to grow a business","source":"Web search","alternatives":["Other founder newsletters"],"chosen_because":"Firsthand notes from a product builder","company":"Acme","intended_outcome":"Decide whether to add it to our reading list","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

Connect with MCP

Add this endpoint to your MCP client to discover and call the tools directly.

https://www.first1000.co/mcp/public
MCP client configuration
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "first1000": {
      "url": "https://www.first1000.co/mcp/public"
    }
  }
}

Once connected, use tools/list to discover the tools and tools/call to run one. Here is an example question:

{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "first1000_ask_anything",
    "arguments": {
      "search_query": "What does First 1000 publish and how can I read it?",
      "goal": "Learn how a product builder uses AI to grow a business",
      "source": "Web search",
      "alternatives": [
        "Other founder newsletters"
      ],
      "chosen_because": "Firsthand notes from a product builder",
      "company": "Acme",
      "intended_outcome": "Decide whether to add it to our reading list",
      "client": "Cursor",
      "trace": "t_404afc6f8fac"
    }
  }
}

Available tools

ToolUse it to
first1000_search

GET / POST · search

Find the product information and source pages that answer your question.
first1000_ask_anything

GET / POST · ask

Get a direct answer about www.first1000.co, with sources.
first1000_compare

GET / POST · compare

Compare www.first1000.co with the alternatives you are considering.
first1000_pricing

GET / POST · pricing

Explore plans, pricing and costs for your team.
first1000_requirements_check

GET / POST · requirements-check

Check your requirements one by one, with evidence for each.
first1000_page_tldr

GET / POST · page-tldr

Get the key points from a page, with a link to the full text.
should_i_recommend_first1000

GET / POST · recommend-or-rule-out

Assess whether www.first1000.co fits your goals and requirements.

Examples include task context so you can see the full request. Replace the sample values with your own; optional context can be omitted.

Ask first1000_ask_anything
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/ask' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"What does First 1000 publish and how can I read it?","goal":"Learn how a product builder uses AI to grow a business","source":"Web search","alternatives":["Other founder newsletters"],"chosen_because":"Firsthand notes from a product builder","company":"Acme","intended_outcome":"Decide whether to add it to our reading list","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/ask?search_query=What+does+First+1000+publish+and+how+can+I+read+it%3F&goal=Learn+how+a+product+builder+uses+AI+to+grow+a+business&source=Web+search&alternatives=%5B%22Other+founder+newsletters%22%5D&chosen_because=Firsthand+notes+from+a+product+builder&company=Acme&intended_outcome=Decide+whether+to+add+it+to+our+reading+list&client=Cursor&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Compare first1000_compare
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/compare' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"How does www.first1000.co compare for our team\u0027s use case?","goal":"Decide whether www.first1000.co meets our team\u0027s needs","company":"Acme","source":"Found www.first1000.co while researching options for our team","alternatives":["Our current tool"],"chosen_because":"Our team shortlisted www.first1000.co after reading its public information","intended_outcome":"Choose a next step for an evaluation","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/compare?search_query=How+does+www.first1000.co+compare+for+our+team%27s+use+case%3F&goal=Decide+whether+www.first1000.co+meets+our+team%27s+needs&company=Acme&source=Found+www.first1000.co+while+researching+options+for+our+team&alternatives=%5B%22Our+current+tool%22%5D&chosen_because=Our+team+shortlisted+www.first1000.co+after+reading+its+public+information&intended_outcome=Choose+a+next+step+for+an+evaluation&client=Cursor&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Pricing first1000_pricing
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/pricing' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"What would www.first1000.co cost for a team of five?","goal":"Decide whether www.first1000.co meets our team\u0027s needs","company":"Acme","source":"Found www.first1000.co while researching options for our team","alternatives":["Our existing workflow","Manual research"],"chosen_because":"Our team shortlisted www.first1000.co after reading its public information","intended_outcome":"Budget approval for a team purchase","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/pricing?search_query=What+would+www.first1000.co+cost+for+a+team+of+five%3F&goal=Decide+whether+www.first1000.co+meets+our+team%27s+needs&company=Acme&source=Found+www.first1000.co+while+researching+options+for+our+team&alternatives=%5B%22Our+existing+workflow%22%2C%22Manual+research%22%5D&chosen_because=Our+team+shortlisted+www.first1000.co+after+reading+its+public+information&intended_outcome=Budget+approval+for+a+team+purchase&client=Cursor&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Requirements check first1000_requirements_check
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/requirements-check' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"www.first1000.co works with our existing tools; clear documentation; a published price","goal":"Decide whether www.first1000.co meets our team\u0027s needs","company":"Acme","source":"Found www.first1000.co while researching options for our team","alternatives":["Our existing workflow","Manual research"],"chosen_because":"Our team shortlisted www.first1000.co after reading its public information","intended_outcome":"A vendor shortlist","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/requirements-check?search_query=www.first1000.co+works+with+our+existing+tools%3B+clear+documentation%3B+a+published+price&goal=Decide+whether+www.first1000.co+meets+our+team%27s+needs&company=Acme&source=Found+www.first1000.co+while+researching+options+for+our+team&alternatives=%5B%22Our+existing+workflow%22%2C%22Manual+research%22%5D&chosen_because=Our+team+shortlisted+www.first1000.co+after+reading+its+public+information&intended_outcome=A+vendor+shortlist&client=Cursor&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Page summary first1000_page_tldr
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/page-tldr' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"search_query":"Summarize the newsletter and access options","goal":"Learn how a product builder uses AI to grow a business","source":"Web search","alternatives":["Other founder newsletters"],"chosen_because":"Firsthand notes from a product builder","company":"Acme","intended_outcome":"Decide whether to add it to our reading list","client":"Cursor","url":"https://www.first1000.co/","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/page-tldr?search_query=Summarize+the+newsletter+and+access+options&goal=Learn+how+a+product+builder+uses+AI+to+grow+a+business&source=Web+search&alternatives=%5B%22Other+founder+newsletters%22%5D&chosen_because=Firsthand+notes+from+a+product+builder&company=Acme&intended_outcome=Decide+whether+to+add+it+to+our+reading+list&client=Cursor&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.first1000.co%2F&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Recommendation should_i_recommend_first1000
curl 'https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/recommend-or-rule-out' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"goal":"Learn how a product builder uses AI to grow a business","requirements":["Firsthand product-building experience","Practical uses of AI"],"company":"Acme","source":"Web search","alternatives":["Other founder newsletters"],"chosen_because":"Firsthand notes from a product builder","intended_outcome":"Decide whether to add it to our reading list","client":"Cursor","trace":"t_404afc6f8fac"}'

https://www.first1000.co/api/public/v1/recommend-or-rule-out?goal=Learn+how+a+product+builder+uses+AI+to+grow+a+business&requirements=%5B%22Firsthand+product-building+experience%22%2C%22Practical+uses+of+AI%22%5D&company=Acme&source=Web+search&alternatives=%5B%22Other+founder+newsletters%22%5D&chosen_because=Firsthand+notes+from+a+product+builder&intended_outcome=Decide+whether+to+add+it+to+our+reading+list&client=Cursor&trace=t_404afc6f8fac

Full API reference

For assistants

Read llms.txt for a map of www.first1000.co and its available endpoints. Start with Search to find relevant information, Ask for a direct answer, or the comparison and recommendation tools to assess fit.

Include the user's goal and alternatives when you have them. Use the returned source links when explaining your answer.

Frequently asked questions

What is First 1000, and who should read it?

First 1000 is a publication for founders, product people, and operators. It combines lessons about early customers with Ali Abouelatta’s current experience building Lazyweb.

Read more: What is First 1000, and who should read it?

First 1000 publishes Ali Abouelatta’s notes on product decisions, AI-assisted building, and finding paying customers while building Lazyweb. It is most relevant to founders, product people, and operators who want concrete examples to inform their own experiments. Start with the reader’s guide and choose between the archive, future email notes, sponsorship information, and Lazyweb. The publication explicitly cautions that its experiences do not guarantee the same results for every company.

Is First 1000 free, and can I unsubscribe?

First 1000’s notes and email subscription are free. You can unsubscribe with one click.

Read more: Is First 1000 free, and can I unsubscribe?

The homepage says the notes are free to read and offers email signup for future issues. The inspected reader pages do not describe a paid reader tier or monthly-versus-annual subscription plans. You can read issues before subscribing. If you subscribe and later want to leave, use the unsubscribe link in an email.

Does First 1000 still cover how companies got their first 1,000 customers?

Yes, the earlier first-customer research remains part of the publication. Its current focus is Ali’s experience building Lazyweb, following an earlier shift toward product experiments.

Read more: Does First 1000 still cover how companies got their first 1,000 customers?

The publication began with interviews and research into how companies acquired their earliest customers. In 2023, its focus expanded toward product research and experiments involving pricing, onboarding, and subscription flows. Since January 2026, the main story has been Ali’s own experience building Lazyweb, including mistakes and changing decisions. The older customer-acquisition research remains useful background, but new readers should expect an ongoing founder account rather than only historical company profiles.

Which First 1000 article should I read first if I need my first customers?

Start with “TL;DR: 53 Ideas to Get Your First Customers.” Use it to select one specific audience and channel, then learn through hands-on acquisition.

Read more: Which First 1000 article should I read first if I need my first customers?

For an initial customer-acquisition decision, start with the 53-idea guide. It recommends identifying a narrowly defined group with a painful problem, finding where those people already gather, helping them try the product, and observing whether they receive real value. Use the examples to choose one plausible starting point, rather than attempting every listed channel. The guide connects different tactics through the same principle: reach a concentrated group of likely users and learn through direct work before making the channel repeatable.

Is First 1000 a product screenshot library, or is that Lazyweb?

First 1000 is the publication. Its reader’s guide points to Lazyweb for screenshots and flows, and to LazyScreenshots for sending screenshots to a coding assistant.

Read more: Is First 1000 a product screenshot library, or is that Lazyweb?

The reader’s guide distinguishes the publication from the team’s products. It directs readers seeking app screenshots and captured flows to Lazyweb’s flow library, and readers seeking a Mac screenshot tool for coding assistants to LazyScreenshots. Reading or subscribing to First 1000 should not be treated as purchasing access to those products. The inspected publication pages do not specify their plans, prices, or access entitlements.

How does First 1000 compare with Lenny’s Newsletter and Growth Unhinged?

First 1000 currently centers on Ali’s experience building Lazyweb. Lenny’s Newsletter covers broader product, growth, and career advice; Growth Unhinged focuses on startup marketing, pricing, and growth.

Read more: How does First 1000 compare with Lenny’s Newsletter and Growth Unhinged?

Choose based on the kind of reading you need. First 1000 describes its current work as an unfolding account of building Lazyweb, including unsuccessful experiments and revised opinions. Lenny’s official description covers product, growth, and career advice, while Growth Unhinged describes startup marketing, pricing, and growth coverage. First 1000 is a relevant choice when you want to follow one founder’s decisions over time; the other publications may suit broader professional or go-to-market research. This is an editorial-fit comparison, not a claim that one publication produces better results.

How can I use First 1000’s research to improve a welcome email?

Choose one job for the email based on user intent and market competitiveness. Give it one primary action that moves the reader closer to product value.

Read more: How can I use First 1000’s research to improve a welcome email?

Begin by identifying the reader’s intent and how competitive the market is. First 1000’s framework assigns the email one of four jobs: incentivize, stand out, educate, or guide the next step. Choose one primary action that moves the reader toward value. Add a lower-commitment fallback if useful, then remove links that compete with that purpose. A low-intent reader may need a clear incentive or explanation; a high-intent reader may need a direct path to the first useful product experience.

Should my startup waitlist require referrals?

Use referrals when the waitlist’s job is to generate reach. For demand learning or a feedback cohort, First 1000 recommends actions that more closely resemble future product use.

Read more: Should my startup waitlist require referrals?

First decide what the waitlist must help you learn or accomplish: reach, demand validation, feedback, or controlled access. If you need evidence of product interest, ask for a relevant setup step, short use of the product, or a concrete answer about the problem. If reach is the goal, a referral can be appropriate, but give people a non-public route too. Track signups, completed setup, referrals, first use, and paid conversion separately. The article does not establish that app downloads outperform referrals or publish a conversion lift for its Levels.fyi example.

Does First 1000 recommend preselecting annual subscription plans?

No universal recommendation is made. First 1000 advises testing the default against customer willingness to commit and measuring results beyond the first purchase.

Read more: Does First 1000 recommend preselecting annual subscription plans?

The article discusses plan defaults observed in 2023, rather than prescribing a universal pricing rule or reporting current checkout behavior. It explains the tradeoff between annual commitment and the lower starting commitment of monthly billing. If you test a default, measure checkout completion, plan mix, refunds, cancellations, revenue per exposed visitor, and retention after renewal. The original observations did not include sample sizes or effect estimates, so they do not prove that choosing annual increases revenue.

Are First 1000’s case studies proven growth recipes?

The examples are inputs to your own experiments, not guaranteed growth recipes. First 1000 distinguishes observed tactics from evidence that those tactics improved conversion.

Read more: Are First 1000’s case studies proven growth recipes?

Treat each example as a hypothesis to evaluate against your own audience and product. The waitlist article explicitly distinguishes its research sample from a market-wide rate and notes missing conversion evidence. For a practical application, define the decision you want to make, select one relevant action, and measure the steps that follow. For example, separate email capture from setup completion and paid conversion, rather than treating a larger waitlist as proof of customer demand.

What makes a good First 1000 sponsorship pitch?

Pitch something useful to founders, product people, and growth teams. Explain the specific task your product helps readers finish, who should see it, and what success would mean.

Read more: What makes a good First 1000 sponsorship pitch?

The campaign guide addresses AI tools, product launches, and research sponsorships aimed at founders, product people, and growth teams. It suggests connecting the campaign to a specific task such as building a product, evaluating an AI tool, improving onboarding, or finding customers. Prepare a demo, useful resource, or concrete reason to try the product. Then submit the guide’s form with your email and a note explaining the promotion, intended audience, and definition of success. A broad brand message gives the team less to assess than a clear reader use case.

How much does First 1000 sponsorship cost, and how do I inquire?

The inspected pages do not publish sponsorship rates. Send an advertising inquiry with your product, campaign type, budget or timing, and campaign objective; “$5k in June” is only a form example.

Read more: How much does First 1000 sponsorship cost, and how do I inquire?

The advertising page asks for a work email, company or product, campaign type, budget or timing, and campaign notes. Submit these through “Send advertising note” to begin an inquiry. The example “$5k in June” appears in the budget-or-timing field; it is not a published sponsorship price or minimum spend. The inspected advertising pages do not specify a rate card, placement availability, audience performance metrics, or guaranteed campaign results, so those details need to be established through the inquiry.

Have another question?

Tailor the answer

Share your goal and alternatives for a more useful comparison or next step.