A directory of startups that did things that don't scale
Hey HN, I've been working on a little side project and could really use your feedback. So, I've always been fascinated by those stories of successful startups doing crazy things in their early days - you know, like Airbnb founders personally photographing listings or DoorDash founders delivering food themselves. I started collecting these stories, and before I knew it, I had a pretty big list. So I thought, "Why not turn this into a website?" And that's how https://dothingsthatdontscale.org was born. It's super basic right now - just a simple directory with about 70 examples. But…
In plain words
A directory of startup stories that catalogs unconventional early-stage tactics used by successful companies. The site collects approximately 70 examples of founders engaging in labor-intensive, non-scalable activities—such as manually photographing listings or personally delivering products—to build their businesses. It is designed for founders and startup enthusiasts seeking inspiration and practical examples of hands-on early-stage strategies. The directory presents these stories in a simple, browsable format.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hey HN, I've been working on a little side project and could really use your feedback. So, I've always been fascinated by those stories of successful startups doing crazy things in their early days - you know, like Airbnb founders personally photographing listings or DoorDash founders delivering food themselves. I started collecting these stories, and before I knew it, I had a pretty big list. So I thought, "Why not turn this into a website?" And that's how https://dothingsthatdontscale.org was born. It's super basic right now - just a simple directory with about 70 examples. But I'm wondering if this could be useful for other founders or startup enthusiasts. I'd love to hear your thoughts: > Is this something you'd find helpful? Why or why not? > What would make this more useful for you? > Is it easy to use? (I'm not good at design) > Am I missing any awesome stories that should be included? I'm not trying to monetize this or anything - just want to create something helpful for the community. Any feedback, criticism, or ideas would be hugely appreciated! Thanks in advance, you awesome people!
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