“The tip number one for sure will be to validate before spending money on ads. And when I say validate, it's not just that the product works, but also that people are willing to pay for it.”

Validate willingness to pay before you spend a dollar on ads

Free signups and engagement are not proof of a viable subscription business. Validation has to include actual paying customers before any paid acquisition turns on — otherwise the ads are funding a leaky bucket disguised as growth.