how to build a 2000+ person waitlist

Today, we're breaking down @npcfaizan

Faizan is the founder of Speakeasy, a mobile app that helps people become better communicators, and he's run a masterclass on building demand before you even have a product to sell.

In ~4 months, he's grown to 56k+ followers and built a 2,000+ person waitlist by doing three things exceptionally well:

• A clear, compelling POV (great communication is a cheat code)

• Repeatable content pillars that reinforce the same problem from different angles

• Curiosity-driven formats that hook attention and hold it until the payoff

Let's break down how he's done it 👇

1. What’s his POV?

Great communication is a cheat code.

When he speaks, he sounds like someone who's already mastered what you're struggling with.

That confidence builds trust and makes his solution feel like the obvious next step.

2. What are the content pillars?

⬛️ Personal Stories & Observations Learning English as a second language, big life decisions, #1 mistake smart people make, etc.

These build credibility and relatability.

🟥 Cultural Commentary He hijacks relevant topics and filters them through his expertise.

Best example: his Kai Cenat video where he reframed it as "If I was Kai Cenat's personal speaking coach….these are the 4 strategies I would have him do to become a better speaker". The last one being to join Speakeasy's waitlist.

This video did 2M+ views and likely drove 2,000+ waitlist signups from a single post.

3. What are the formats?

95% of his content follows one repeatable format:

Phone in office. Talking to camera. Micro cuts to maintain visual attention.

The format puts all the weight on his message and delivery.

His curiosity loops keep viewers locked in:

"I made a decision in 2025 that I believe has been the most impactful decision I have ever made and I believe you would benefit from it too"

Followed by: "But first some context"

He constantly opens new loops and doesn't pay them off till later, maximizing watch time.

If the message resonates, people find the waitlist themselves.

4. What You Can Steal

• Craft a compelling POV people already feel but can't articulate. Faizan didn't invent the idea that communication matters, but he's living proof of the impact "becoming a better speaker" can have.

• Find cultural moments that let you demonstrate your expertise. The Kai Cenat video worked because it was timely and relevant to his niche.

• Sell the problem, not the solution. He finds new ways to articulate the problem, positioning his product as the solution without needing to plug it.

This is what A+ content-product fit looks like.

Hope this helps,

—Dodds