How butter chicken built my ultimate contact list

Every startup founder knows the moment of craving that prospect list, and the only way to get it is through an exhaustive, manual research process or paying too much for it.

No matter how clever or tech-savvy you are, sometimes there’s no API, no updated public database, and no digital shortcut that can magically produce the details you need.

That’s the problem I faced when trying to identify employment area leaders across Finland. There was a major renewal happening in the employment areas, fresh decision-makers were being appointed, and the existing lists were out of date. It was time to roll up my sleeves - or better yet, find a creative way to get the job done.

So, when technology falls short, founders have to lean on good old-fashioned legwork. My first instinct was to gather this data myself because I kind of have a sweet tooth for manual data entry, just for mindfulness.

But then realized that wading through search engines, municipal websites, and organizational charts was very, very time-consuming. I could have spent endless hours scouring the internet and still come up short. This wasn’t a small, targeted list, since it involved multiple regions, multiple agencies, and a slew of newly recruited contacts.

Luckily, there are multiple workarounds, and the timing was perfect for this one: Finland’s school system requires 16-year-old students to get hands-on experience in various workplaces. A co-founder of one of my side hustles asked if I’d host a short internship for her son and his friend. They were hungry to learn about the internet biz, and I had a perfect real-world task that needed doing. Win-win.

People without work experience need very simple, detailed instructions, so I drafted a simple one-pager on Notion, outlining:

• The titles and roles we were looking for (e.g., employment area leads, team managers, etc.)
• How to search for them efficiently (through municipal websites, LinkedIn, Google queries, ChatGPT)
• How to store the data properly in a Google Spreadsheet

The instructions were brief but comprehensive. Enough guidance for them to feel confident, plus the freedom to adapt and learn as they went. In my opinion, searching for information is one of the most important skills in today's work so this was a perfect task to practice.

Each time they found a new contact, they’d plug it into the spreadsheet, including phone numbers and email addresses, if available.

While the task was manual, having a clear system in place turned the grind into a straightforward process. Some key tips:

1. Consistent formatting

In the spreadsheet, each column was labeled: Name, Title, Organization, Email, Phone Number, Website Source, and any Comments. It saved hours of confusion.

2. Short, focused work sessions

Instead of having them dive into a marathon of research, I scheduled a few hours per day. This way, they stayed engaged and didn’t burn out.

3. Frequent check-ins

A quick daily chat about any roadblocks or interesting findings helped us maintain momentum. If they hit a dead end, I could step in with new guidance.

4. Built-in motivation

Young interns are especially motivated by the sense of contributing to a real project. Letting them see how this list would directly impact outreach efforts was key.

The biggest expense for this entire project? A couple of butter chicken and some pepperoni pizzas. That’s it. Normally, a data-gathering project like this might involve hiring part-time assistants or using expensive lead-generation services. However by leveraging the existing job practice program, I had enthusiastic teens who were looking to learn, and they got tangible experience in Internet business research. I got what turned out to be the most accurate, updated list of employment area leaders in the country (or at least the only one I know of).

The takeaway here isn’t that you should go out and snag the nearest teenagers whenever you need a list built. It’s about the mindset of resourcefulness. You have to ask yourself:

Can I automate this task?

Sometimes you can. But if there’s no public API or data set, automation might not be possible or cost-effective.

If it must be manual, how can I make it simpler?

Break the task down into smaller steps and create a system.

Who can help?

Could it be an intern, a community volunteer, or someone else who can benefit from hands-on learning?

What do they gain?

Make sure they learn something valuable in exchange for their work. It keeps everyone motivated.

Building an early-stage startup means constantly juggling limited resources. You might not have the budget to outsource all your problems, and even if you do, your project might require that personal touch or local knowledge. Especially when you’re interacting with the public sector - roles and hierarchies can shift fast, and official databases aren’t always updated quickly.

Even if you could pay someone else to do the research, the personal relationships formed by guiding interns or volunteers can be far more valuable than the data alone. You’re introducing young people to the entrepreneurial world, showing them that creativity is as important as capital. You’re setting an example of how to tackle problems head-on. And you’re likely forging lasting connections with people who might become future team members.

Steal the approach

1. Identify your pain poinn

Figure out exactly what problem is eating up your time. In my case, it was an up-to-date contact list.

2. Decide if automation is possible

Research whether a web-scraping tool, an API, or a specialized service can handle the job.

3. Create a standardized process

If you must go manual, map out clear guidelines. Use collaboration tools like Notion or Google Docs. Enhance with a Loom video of the process with yourself showing the process how you do it.

4. Look for unconventional resources

Local internship programs, community events, university job boards—these can be goldmines for short-term help.

5. Compensate fairly but creatively

If you can’t offer a salary, think about what else you can provide: training, mentorship, or a small perk like meals.

6. Iterate and improve

As with any startup activity, treat this as a learning experience. Gather feedback from your helpers and refine your process.

This story highlights a principle that’s true in many areas of early-stage startups: being scrappy often yields more than just results. It fosters a culture of resilience, teamwork, and innovation. When your team sees you solving problems with minimal resources, they become more proactive and inventive themselves.

Plus, there’s a certain joy in looking at a well-structured spreadsheet, knowing that just days ago, this data didn’t exist in any official capacity. You brought it to life with determination and a handful of dedicated helpers. That’s the startup spirit in action.

So the next time you’re staring down a seemingly impossible task (such as pulling together a research list, testing a new product idea, or planning a community event) consider if there’s an unconventional path. Maybe it’s a local youth program, a weekend hackathon, or a collaboration with another startup. Think outside the box and leverage what’s already out there.

At the end of the day, you don’t always need a big budget to make a big impact. You just need resourcefulness, a willingness to experiment, and sometimes butter chicken.