Why Startup Founders Should Focus on Going Viral
Cluely’s Roy Lee recently spoke at Disrupt 2025 with a message for startup founders: it’s crucial to think about how to go viral. According to Lee, if you’re not in deep tech, then your focus should be on distribution. He emphasized the importance of viral marketing but also acknowledged that not everyone has the ability to achieve viral success.
Lee pointed out that those who excel in engineering may not possess the humor or creativity required to become successful content creators. He stated, “Realistically, most of these people have no chance of going viral.”
Despite this, Cluely’s AI assistant gained fame earlier this year with a viral claim that its undetectable windows could assist in cheating. However, this claim was debunked by proctoring services. Nevertheless, the company managed to raise $15 million from Andressen Horowitz, solidifying its position in the competitive AI assistant market.
Lee attributes his success in going viral to his unique approach, which often involves stirring controversy. He admitted, “I think I’m particularly good at framing myself in a way that’s controversial. I do a lot of things that are different, and my voice naturally enrages many people.”
According to Lee, attention is the most valuable currency in today’s social media landscape. He believes that traditional notions of reputation are becoming obsolete, citing examples of prominent figures like Sam Altman and Elon Musk who prioritize authenticity and personal engagement over maintaining a pristine reputation.
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Lee emphasized the importance of being extreme, authentic, and personal in order to succeed in the evolving digital landscape. When questioned about Cluely’s financial performance, Lee chose not to disclose specific revenue or user numbers, stating, “What I’ve learned is that you should never share revenue numbers because if you’re doing well, nobody will talk about how well you’re doing. And if you’re doing poorly, people will only talk about how poorly you’re doing.”
