How did you get your first real user for your first app?

Hi Hunters 👋

I’m a first-time maker who joined Product Hunt a few days ago. I made a beginner's mistake when I posted about my product VelinAI.live by leading with features instead of starting a dialogue with users 🤦‍♂️.

A little background. I’m building a desktop AI app (still in private beta) that is undetectable in screen sharing and produces rich, savable responses. My main goal here is to learn and connect with others.

I’d love to hear real, practical stories from makers who were in my shoes:

- How did you quiet the fear of posting publicly for the first time and consistently?

- What early mistakes taught you the biggest lessons when you were building your first product?

- What’s one action that actually moved the needle for you (e.g., a growth tactic, a community, an intro)?
- What's one piece of advice to get me my first customers?

I will provide private access to my early beta version to anyone who wants to test it, and will stay in the comments to answer your questions while keeping my promise of actual responses. 🙏