u/Roads_37

I'm a first time founder with an app...tried a lot of marketing ideas but the only thing that worked was finding the right posts and subreddits in my niche and commenting there.

But the traffic from those posts never lasted more than a day or two.

That's when I decided to start my own subreddit, so I don't have to go searching for my users. This actually yielded great results.

The sub, r/GlobalEnglishPrep, grew to about 500K total and 22K weekly visitors in 5-6 months. This not only brought users but also other founders, and they started asking me if I could help them with their subreddits or at least funnel users to their app..

I started doing that just to extend my runway, but it eventually led me to pivot to doing it full time, since I made really good money from it.

Being a product guy though, I've been thinking lately about whether I should automate what I do: searching for posts and comments based on keywords, finding the right ones, drafting replies that are actually helpful, and posting and replying to comments on time.

I even launched a waitlist to see if other founders would find it helpful.

The other reason I'm considering automation is that what I do helps founders scale their products using reddit, but since I do it manually, I can't take on many clients at once. For scaling, I believe automation is the answer.

What are your thoughts?

Getting my first users from reddit was genuinely the best thing I did as a founder.

I also grew a sub from zero to 21K weekly and 450K+ total views in about 5 months "manually".

But it nearly broke me.

The advice is always the same: "Be helpful, don't pitch, add value." And honestly? That advice is correct. The problem is nobody tells you what that actually looks like when you've got too many tabs open, a half-built product, and manually searching through r/SaaS and r/microsaas for someone who mentioned your exact pain point 1d ago.

The "be helpful" strategy works. The execution was not so easy..

I had a productivity sheet with 20+ subreddit, a list of keywords, and a column called "check today" that I filled in manually every morning.

I'd spend the morning searching. Find maybe a few relevant threads. Miss half of them because they were already 24 hours old. Write one genuinely helpful reply. Repeat.

When it worked, the conversion was insane compared to anything else I tried. Someone asks "is there a way to track X without paying for Y?" and you show up with an actually useful answer, not a sales pitch.. they remember you.

But the searching was killing me.

The other thing nobody mentions is that reddit isn't just a place to find leads. It's a goldmine with what your customers are frustrated about, what words they use to describe their problems, what features they wish existed, and which competitors they're quietly abandoning.

I started noticing patterns. The same frustrations kept coming up in different threads across subreddits. People weren't just asking for tools. They were telling me exactly what to build and how to talk about it.

I was sitting on a goldmine of product and content and spending all my time manually digging instead of actually using any of it.

I got tired enough that I started building something to fix my own workflow. It tracks the conversations, surfaces the high-intent threads before they go cold, and analyses what actually gets people engaging so you're not just guessing what to post.

The part I'm most excited about: it spots patterns in what gets traction across your niche and helps you draft replies and posts that fit the actual tone of each subreddit, then lets you approve and publish through your own account. Nothing goes live without you seeing it first or if you want otherwise..

I want to automate the experience that I gained when driving the subreddit growth and which drove users to my app.

It's still in early waitlist stage because I want to get it right before I open it up widely, but if you're currently in the "sheet and tabs" phase of Reddit growth, this is basically the command center I wish I had.

No credit card or anything, just early access: Reddit Growth OS

Hello everyone, and a massive welcome to r/prepex!

Whether you are just starting your English journey, chasing a band 8.0 on the IELTS, or grinding toward a 110+ on the TOEFL, you have found your new home. Preparing for language proficiency exams can feel overwhelming, isolating, and expensive. We built this community to change all of that.

This is a collaborative, open, and fiercely supportive space for anyone serious about mastering English and crushing their exams. Thousands of learners just like you have been through the same late nights, the same confusing grammar rules, and the same test-day nerves. Now we do it together.

What Is r/prepex All About?

Think of this as your all-in-one study group and resource hub. Here is what we cover:

TOEFL (iBT): Strategies for every section, tips for the speaking tasks, help with integrated writing, and community-shared mock tests.

IELTS (Academic and General Training): Cracking the reading section, writing killer Task 1 and Task 2 essays, and nailing the speaking interview.

General English Mastery: Grammar mechanics, vocabulary building, pronunciation practice, and everyday conversational English for real life, not just test day.

What Should You Post Here?

Anything that helps you or someone else learn. This community thrives on an open exchange of knowledge. Here is what we want to see from you:

Your Doubts and Questions: Stuck on a weird grammar rule? Confused about why your reading answers keep going wrong? Ask! No question is too basic or too advanced. Every single question you post is one that dozens of silent lurkers are also desperate to have answered.

Resources and Materials: Found a brilliant YouTube channel, a free mock test, a helpful Notion template, or a vocabulary app you swear by? Drop the link. Share the wealth. That one resource could change someone's score.

Essay and Speaking Reviews: Post your practice essays or audio clips and ask for honest, constructive feedback. This is one of the fastest ways to improve, and our community is full of people who genuinely want to help.

Study Buddies: Looking for a speaking partner on Discord or Zoom? Make a post, mention your timezone and target score, and find your perfect match. Consistency is far easier when someone else is counting on you.

Score Reveals and Test Day Stories: Share your wins, your near misses, and your full-on failures. If you hit your target score, tell us exactly how you got there. If you didn't, share that too. We are here to help you regroup and come back stronger

Our Community Rules (Short and Simple)

Be kind and constructive. Everyone starts somewhere. Mocking someone's English proficiency or gatekeeping knowledge will earn you an immediate ban. When giving feedback, be honest AND be human about it.

No spam or scams. Sharing a free, genuinely useful guide you made? Great, go ahead. Spamming paid course links, "guaranteed score" schemes, or sketchy WhatsApp groups? Those get removed without warning.

No piracy. Do not share links to stolen or copyrighted materials such as official Cambridge books. Let's keep this community clean and sustainable for the long run.

Introduce Yourself Below!

We want to know who is in the room. Drop a comment and tell us:

• Which exam are you preparing for, or are you just here to level up your English?
• What is your biggest struggle right now?

We are genuinely thrilled to have you here.

Got a question for the mods? Shoot us a message. We actually read them.

English has this thing called 'phrasal verbs' (verbs are 'doing words') where one or more words are added to a verb to make a different meaning. You can call your mother, but you can also call for your mother and call on your mother, or even call out to your mother. You can send your assistant somewhere, but also send for your assistant, which is essentially the opposite.

That's all well and good, but people frequently get something wrong--when one of those verbs changes into a noun.

A common example is "set up". We all know what it means to set up a new computer. That's the verb, made up of two words:

• I set up my computer
• she sets up her computer
• we were setting up our computer
• your computer has been set up

So what's 'setup' or 'set-up'?

Those are nouns, or naming words. A setup is a thing (an abstract noun). It's the noun that means "the process or activity of setting up something".

It is never correct to write 'I setup my computer', any more than it would be correct to write 'I fixedup my computer'.

It is however correct to write:

• I did the setup of my computer
• she did the setup of her computer
• we were working on the setup of our computer
• we have completed the setup of your computer

And also to write things like 'here are the setup details for your computer', because again, it's not a verb. It's like 'here are the monitor details for your computer'.

Ravi was a hardworking boy who lived in a small village. Every day, he walked five Kilometers to attend school. Despite many difficulties, he never missed his classes. His dream was to become a teacher and help children in his village get a good education. One day, his teacher noticed his dedication and decided to support him. With guidance and effort, Ravi achieved his dream.

A) Where did Ravi live?

1. In a city
2. In a village
3. In a town
4. Abroad

B) How far did he walk to school?

• 2 km
• 3 km
• 5 km
• 10 km

C) What was Ravi’s dream?

• To become a doctor
• To become a teacher
• To become a farmer
• To become an engineer

D) Who helped Ravi?

• His parents
• His friend
• His teacher
• His neighbour

E) What quality did Ravi show?

• Laziness
• Honesty
• Dedication
• Anger

Passage:

Despite facing a serious dilemma, the officer remained resolute. He carefully evaluated the situation and made a prudent decision. His actions helped to mitigate the crisis effectively.

Questions:

A. The word dilemma means:

1. Solution
2. Confusion between choices
3. Success
4. Risk

B. The word resolute means:

1. Weak
2. Determined
3. Careless
4. Angry

C. The word prudent means:

1. Careful and wise
2. Fast
3. Lazy
4. Confused

D. The word mitigate means:

1. Increase
2. Ignore
3. Reduce
4. Create

Try to solve in 60 seconds!

PrepEx was a huge help in my TOEFL preparation. I only had 2 months in total to prepare for the new AI Toefl Exam and I chose PrepEx for preparation. The practice tests, detailed explanations, and realistic question format really improved my listening, reading, and writing scores. It helped me track my progress and build confidence before the actual exam. I received what I felt the most accurate feedback from the PrepEx application. I highly recommend PrepEx to anyone serious about improving their TOEFL score.