Monzo
Monzo was founded in 2015 as Mondo Bank with a still very raw product: a prepaid card that allowed real-time transaction visibility and fee-free international payments. But the mechanism for acquiring the first customers was carefully designed.
Instead of a public launch, Monzo launched a waitlist with Golden Tickets: each new user received 5 invites to distribute to whoever they chose. Those who invited a friend moved up the waitlist. Those who received an invite joined immediately.
This mechanism had three simultaneous effects. First: it naturally selected the most enthusiastic — those who understand a product enough to share it are also those who will use it most and defend it. Second: it created perceived scarcity (the physical card was bright coral, visible in wallets), amplifying the word-of-mouth effect. Third: every user who invited someone automatically became an ambassador — they had invested socially in the product.
Monzo's first 1000 customers were demographically homogeneous (25-35, tech-savvy, London) but emotionally very attached to the product. The community forum was active before the public launch. When Monzo needed feedback, it already had a structured early adopter base.
The acquisition mechanism for the first customers determines the type of community you are building. A peer-to-peer invite selects enthusiasts; a paid campaign acquires the curious. The two have very different retention profiles.