I was responding to the original claim that a distribution channel requires capital or connections, which from my own experience is a false statement.<p>You are right that free advertising requires work like engaging in the community, but all startups require a considerable amount of work, and if you have a little bit of online savviness engaging with a community is very easy.<p>I know that from the time I went from $0 to $10,000 MRR I spent about $100 in online advertising, and I know countless other businesses that have done the same. Maybe if your plan is to create the next Facebook it is harder, but if you have a high quality niche startup, being able to effectively and cheaply advertise yourself for free is hardly an exception. You can always broaden your scope later.