Let's dive headfirst into the crazy world of starting your own business. We're going to chat about how "running your own show" can be freeing, but also comes with its own set of challenges. We'll explore what it really means to be your own boss – making your own rules and calling the shots in your business. But, let's not forget, the journey of an entrepreneur is all about grabbing those chances and trying out different things to hit it big.
Join me as I share my own stories and draw inspiration from people who live life like I do. I'll talk about folks who've nailed the whole work-life balance thing, juggling family, personal time, and their business dreams. We'll also dive into why it's so important to take advice from people who get your lifestyle, instead of just those who've made it big in a totally different way.
Today, we talk about freedom, agency, and autonomy.
Andrew Hudson is an indie hacker who has taken an unconventional journey. From getting his hands dirty as an auto mechanic to now paving the way as a software entrepreneur, Andrew shares how skills honed in the garage fuel his tech ventures, Hauling Buddies and WrenchRadar. We get under the hood of his entrepreneurial journey, discussing the challenges and triumphs of running a two-sided marketplace for pet transportation and how his knack for logical thinking and compartmentalization drives his businesses forward.
We explore how a simple Facebook group grew into a booming business, with Andrew shedding light on his strategies to harness social media and tap into niche markets. We also discuss Andrew's exciting book project inspired by his son's love for space. This episode is a deep dive into the world of independent hacking, entrepreneurship, and the power of passion projects that all started with an auto mechanic's love for problem-solving.
If you’re shopping for books this Black Friday, here are the 15 most impactful books I read before and during my SaaS founder journey. From entrepreneurship to marketing and customer interaction, you’ll have a lot to put on your Black Friday shopping list.
And now, let’s grow your library with the likes of Rob Walling, John Warrillow, Michele Hansen, and many more.
Rob Walling (@robwalling) unpacks the fascinating world of SaaS businesses, touching on topics like scaling, diversification, and the role of AI in SaaS projects. Rob shares his unique stair-step approach to building a SaaS business and paints a realistic picture of the challenges faced by a SaaS founder and the potential rewards of running a successful SaaS company.
The man has released almost 700 podcast episodes about bootstrapping SaaS businesses. He knows how that works, from the birds-eye perspective down to the nitty gritty.
We dive into the misconception around building a ChatGPT wrapper as a long-term business, the trend of AI-centric startups using one-time payments or yearly subscriptions, and the risk of overindexing on AI as a competitive advantage. We also examine common pitfalls in the software business and the impact of sales models on customers. Rob offers insights on white labeling, cautioning against doing it too early and advising on setting a minimum commitment from potential partners.
Rob shares his personal experiences, discussing the difficulties of setting investment terms and overcoming setbacks. We address the concept of the "solo founder funk" and offer solutions such as finding a co-founder, joining mastermind groups, and attending in-person events. Lastly, we delve into the importance of building an audience in the world of SaaS and discuss the topic of hiring in early-stage startups. So tune in, learn, and get inspired by Rob's journey and insights in the SaaS industry.
How can we master the art of managing constraints and turning obstacles into opportunities?
With intentional choices.
Join me as I candidly share my experiences of juggling a media business and several SaaS businesses — while still making time for a life beyond business. You'll discover the techniques I use to stay focused, consistent, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. It's about setting boundaries, creating one-to-many processes, and being intentional with your time.
Channing Allen is the co-founder of Indie Hackers. Today, Channing and I uncover the secrets of thriving in the indie hacking scene from someone who is wrangling thousands of Indie Hackers every day. We delve into intriguing discussions that debunk the myth of the 'death of indie hacking' and guide you through the complexities of building a robust community where collaboration and competition coexist. Learn how constraints can inspire creative problem-solving, and the effects of social media on authentic communication. Discover the impact of minimalism and maximalism on indie hacking, and the choices Channing and his co-founder (and twin) Courtland need to make when building a media company.
Prepare for an enlightening conversation that scrutinizes the significance of fostering a trustworthy online community. We also ponder over the concept of long-term optimism achieved through short-term pessimism and explore how intentional relationship-building within the indie hacker community can shape your success.
You'll discover a whole new perspective on the indie hacking scene.
Should you build an indie business on top of OpenAI? Absolutely. It's not in OpenAI's interest to build niche solutions that compete with indie hacker startups. It's in their interest to enable them.
Today, we dispel a myth about building AI startups.
The community is caught up in a strange back-and-forth between “look at all these amazing opportunities” and “don’t build, OpenAI is just going to make your startup evaporate.” If you’re an indie hacker and you wonder which of these is actually helpful for your journey, I’ll try to help clear things up.
Do you truly know yourself? Have you ever wondered about your multidimensional identity —the many layers of who we are and to whom— and the role it plays in finding your purpose? Well, Sakshi Shukla knows, and she's going to take you on her journey of self-discovery. Today, I delve into a profound conversation with Sakshi about her transformation from a medical professional to a successful content strategist, and the pivotal role self-awareness played in this journey. And of course, how she found purpose in all of this.
What does it even mean to be "authentic" online? Just posting things you want other people to see? Sharing everything, treating people like friends? Or maybe it's being extremely professional at all times. With audiences in the hundreds, 1000s, and millions, the old rules of what it means to be yourself in front of others don't apply anymore.
We have to recontextualize our self-presentation online, to be able to both feel like we are ourselves and to make our audiences feel that they get to see the real us. Unfortunately, this does not work with our traditional approach.
When it comes to authenticity, the size of virtual audiences we can quickly build creates the need for a new and slightly different way of thinking about what it means to be our true selves in front of people who only get to see the surface. Here is how you can be authentic in a digital world.
Dickie Bush discusses Ship 30 for 30, a movement he started to transform writing from a solitary to a communal activity, now a structured course. Along with Nicholas Cole, their partnership propelled Ship 30 to new heights. They emphasize the role of community and social media like Twitter in refining ideas and building credibility. Our discussion contrasts digital and traditional writing, explores content creation challenges like imposter syndrome, and shares tips for resonating content creation.
We dive into the software and media realms, highlighting the value of small iterations and immediate feedback in product creation. We touch on the promise of dictation software and delve into Dickie's personal inspiration, his mom, who's not only influenced his journey but also become a cherished figure in the Ship 30 community.
Indie Hacking Isn't Dead — It's Just Less Hacky. The transformation of Indie Hacking over the years creates new challenges and opportunities for Indie Hackers in today's competitive landscape.
The shift from community-driven collaboration to a more competitive environment makes distribution and expertise more relevant than ever. Indie Hacking has evolved into a lifestyle that requires skill and strategic distribution.
Discover the strategies and approaches reshaping the Indie Hacking landscape, and gain inspiration from seasoned entrepreneurs like Pieter Levels, who have successfully navigated these changes.
My guest today, Pieter Levels, claims that "Indie Hacking is dead." Yet, Pieter runs several indie AI startups (and a few traditional ones), totaling $250,000 in revenue every month. So, how can he be a successful indie hacker while dismissing the foundations of his work?
It turns out that Indie Hacking is very much alive. But it has changed significantly. And Pieter has been there from the early days.
Today, Pieter and I talk about what it means to be an Indie Hacker in the age of AI tools, platforms, and businesses. From dependency risk to preparing software businesses for a potential exit, we tackle a wide variety of topics that every Indie Hacker has to deal with. We also dive deep into Pieter's personal journey: from digital nomadism through thoughts of teaming up with fellow makers. You'll get the full picture of an entrepreneur who tells it the way he sees it — which, as you will find, has made the world of social media a very interesting place for him to work in.
With insights into the meme of bad coding, the Lindy Effect, the importance of social proof, and the generational divide regarding AI, this conversation with Pieter Levels is a must-listen for anyone interested in AI startups, indie hacking, and the future of digital entrepreneurship.
Accessibility is one of the most overlooked aspects of being a creator, but it is an incredibly powerful tool to make long-term friends and, ultimately, more money.
Today, we’ll dive into how creators can leverage being accessible as a driver for growth.
We hire specialists. Deep knowledge in one field, not many skills in all the others. We value and celebrate specialists with promising career paths, titles, and promotions.
Can generalists exist in a world of such intricate and complex work requirements?
The person who made me realize that it's possible is Milly Tamati, a staunch defender and empoweress of generalists all over the world. I chatted with Milly about the employability of people who don’t fit into a category, why generalists are the puzzle pieces that allow organizations to destroy knowledge silos, and how incredibly powerful a community of generalists can be.
Join me on The Bootstrapped Founder this week as I talk to Milly Tamati about The Generalists’ World.
Today, I explore the world of microcommunities - small, but incredibly lucrative communities. I examine how microcommunities are different from general online communities, and how they offer valuable opportunities for creators to distribute and monetize their work. I discuss the income-generating potential of being part of, or even starting, these microcommunities, and how the key lies in their single-minded focus on a specific topic. With an interaction between members and progress that is much more visible, micro-communities inspire and educate new members more quickly and create a meaningful exchange.
I dive into the close-knit nature of micro-communities and how this creates a powerful bond between members. I examine how monetization opportunities exist for both the creator and members of the community, and how these opportunities can be used to create a successful business. There's a deep-dive into the potential risks of micro-communities, too, such as the potential for echo chambers and exclusion of certain demographics.
Journey with me as we dive deep into Aaron Francis' transformation from a coder to a teacher. Discover the intricate dance of building in the open. Aaron lays bare his path, detailing how he crafted his screencasting masterclass and managed to balance his day job, side hustle, and family life, all while forging his unique brand.
In this episode, we unpack the looming shadow of criticism and how the mere thought of being ridiculed can paralyze many of us. The paradox? Embracing this very fear might open doors you never imagined. Aaron shares his first-hand experiences, launching courses, the strategies that amplified his voice, and the seismic shift in public sharing from the days before social media to now. And if you've been itching to share your know-how through video or sound, we've got a trove of tips to boost your confidence. Dive in.
Ever felt annoyed seeing someone else selling a copy of something you made? It's a problem many small business owners face. Today, I'm diving into how to protect your ideas and keep others from copying them. It's not just about having a great product. I'll show you how to strengthen your business by reaching more people and making a name for yourself. Being active online and sharing your work can make a big difference.
Also, having a business isn't just about protecting your ideas, but making smart decisions. Building real connections can help spread the word about your products. I'll talk about the importance of helping others and how it benefits you in return. By the end of this episode, you'll know how to protect your work and make it stand out in the community. This will help you learn how to grow a business that's both safe from copycats and gets attention. It's not just about selling things, but sharing your ideas and being known.
This is a masterclass in personalized marketing. Brennan even convinces me to ramp up my own efforts!
Listen in as I uncover the power of personalized marketing with Brennan Dunn, author of 'This is Personal.' Brennan offers valuable insights into how indie hackers and solopreneurs can best learn about their customers and utilize that knowledge for revenue generation. He explores why personalization works, how audience segmentation should be done, and where data collection should start, providing you with a wealth of knowledge to transform your marketing strategies.
Are you tired of the mainstream narrative that success as a software developer can only be pegged to the scale of your projects or the economic output of your code? This episode of Bootstrap Founder challenges that perception. With a focus on the inspiring journey of indie hacker Tony Dinh, we delve into the beauty of simple, practical solutions. Rather than grandeur and disruption, we explore the significance of niche appeal and how meaningful success can be achieved outside the realms of billion-dollar businesses.
Unearth the secrets of YouTube monetization and growth in our conversation with YouTube creator Aprilynne Alter. Prepare to be enlightened as Aprilynne reveals her journey, from retaking control of her editing process to experimenting with an array of content styles and formats. We dive into her daring exploration of NFTs and the groundbreaking transformation that led her to focus her content on educating others about YouTube.
We'll take you on a journey through the strategies that make YouTube an effective distribution platform. From carefully curating topics, titles, and thumbnails to creating your own monetizing product, we discuss the art of packaging videos for optimal appeal. Gain insights from Aprilynne's experience as she transitioned from producing multiple average-quality videos to focusing on crafting one high-quality video per week. We talk about the striking balance between content quality and quantity, and the crucial role of consistency for content creators.
Rounding up, we explore the vital aspects of mental health and productivity in the life of a creator. Aprilynne candidly shares her personal experience of moving to San Francisco, and how it impacted her productivity and overall well-being. We highlight the importance of creating an ideal workspace to foster creativity. Aprilynne gives us a glimpse of her creative space, her morning routine, and how an inspiring city view plays a role in maintaining her creativity. It's an engaging and insightful episode packed with practical tips and lessons from Aprilynne's journey as a YouTube creator. Don't miss it!
Buckle up for a voyage into the intricate world of software feature decision-making! Promising to equip you with insights from my journey, this episode helps you navigate the choppy waters of determining which attributes to include in your software business and which ones to abandon. We'll unravel my personal blueprint for assessing feature requests and enhancements, with a particular focus on the crucial understanding of 'the job to be done.' Together, we'll dissect the correlation between feature alignment and customer retention, and you'll gain clarity on the two critical factors that weigh in when assessing the importance of a feature - workflow inputs and workflow outputs.
Getting started often brings valuable lessons that shape our paths in life; my chat with Erica Schneider, an expert in building authentic personal platforms, is a testament to this. We navigated the terrain of creating an authentic personal brand, focusing on the courage it takes to do so and the power of authenticity in the digital realm. Erica's journey from persona to person, the struggles with online negativity, and her triumphant return to authenticity offer profound insights for anyone aspiring to cultivate a genuine online presence.
We dove into the fascinating world of audience building, stressing the importance of resilience amidst criticism. With Erica’s rich wisdom on the subject, we discussed practical strategies to engage audiences and maintain personal authenticity online. Erica’s knack for writing shone through as we discussed how well-crafted words can create connections and open doors.
It's time to celebrate! This podcast has just reached 250 episodes, and I have a few lessons to share from along the way.
I finally got to talk to Amanda Goetz, a marketer-turned-full-time-creator, who's generously poured out her wisdom on navigating the creator economy. Amanda's journey from corporate life to the creator economy is filled with valuable lessons about embracing awkward self-promotion, overcoming 'Cringe Valley', and the journey of (maybe?) writing a book. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone looking to carve out a calm niche in a world full of "hustle culture," or just for those curious about the behind-the-scenes of a first-time author getting into book publishing.
I didn't set out to chat about writing books, but it was too exciting an opportunity: Amanda announced that she's writing a book! Amanda has walked the tightrope of maintaining authenticity while engaging with the book publishing industry's commercial demands, and she shares this experience with us. We get into the nitty-gritty of dealing with Imposter Syndrome, understanding the angle publishers are looking for, and using hype effectively. It's a deep-dive into the business side of books, the choices of self-publishing or seeking an agent, and the journey towards finding validation in our creative endeavors.
But it's not all hustle and bustle; we also touch on the vital importance of rest and self-care in our lives. Amanda talks about how crucial it is for creators to set boundaries on social media, carefully choosing what aspects of their lives to share. We learn about the balance between sharing personal and private moments, with invaluable insights from Amanda's own experience, including the trauma of a social media hack and the importance of diversifying platforms. So, tune in for a candid, comprehensive, and genuinely helpful discussion on thriving in the creator economy.
Three mistakes are common when early-stage founders plan their strategy: scoping, revenue sources, and lack of validation. Let's dive into why we trip up on these issues and what to do about it.
Get ready to revolutionize your SaaS product signup process with some unique strategies, insights, and actionable tips from our much-awaited conversation with Ruben Gamez. We delve into Ruben’s innovative practices — temporary changes to the signup process, leveraging surveys for data collection, and dealing with competitors in the e-signature business. We dissect the world of customer segmentation, the merits and demerits of freemium, and effective ways to solicit customer feedback. Listen closely as we unravel how Ruben sprinkles just the right dose of friction in the signup process to maximize conversions.
In the latter half of our chat, we grapple with the recurring challenge in SaaS: revenue vs. customer acquisition. We underscore the importance of decoding customer needs and use cases early on and the hurdles in churning income in the initial stages of software launches. Hear it from Ruben, as he shares his vast experience in the field, making this conversation a treasure trove for anyone, from early-stage startups to established companies, intrigued by the world of SaaS. So why wait? Tune in to this conversation and prepare to take your SaaS game to a whole new level.
Have you ever felt deflated upon discovering that your brilliant business idea already exists in the market? Well, you're not alone. I'm Arvid Kahl, and I argue that this should be viewed as a robust validation signal rather than a reason to abandon your idea. We delve into how competition indicates interest and a potential market for your product. We'll also discuss how this presents a unique opportunity, especially for solopreneurs and indie hackers, to make different choices that appeal to unsatisfied customers.
On the path of entrepreneurship, we often face a myriad of choices. In this episode, we unpack the concept of path dependency and how it locks existing businesses into specific niches or ways of problem-solving. We delve into how this provides an opportunity for you, the indie hacker, to identify unmet needs in the market and create a better solution tailored to those needs. We further explore the importance of setting aside your ego and focusing on satisfying unfulfilled demands rather than chasing the over-glorified founder dream. So, take a seat, open your mind, and join us as we explore the power of validation and path dependency. Don't chase the dream, chase validation!
Get ready to learn everything about product marketing from our guest today, Corey Haines. Corey is a marketing pro who knows a lot about selling the right products to the right people. He talks about problems that indie hackers often face and gives helpful tips to solve them. He also invites us behind the scenes of his new business, Conversion Factory, which helps young companies with their marketing.
We chat about how Corey went from doing freelance work to starting his own company with two friends. He shares how they came up with the idea for Conversion Factory, their special way of (product) marketing, and how they make products really popular. We also look at new ways of doing business, comparing old and new methods — using subscription payments in an agency is pretty new ground. Corey's thoughts on this are really interesting and could change how you think about business.
We end our talk with Corey's views on how software and starting a business have shaped his career. He talks about why selling a product might be easier than creating software. We also discuss the benefits of having a business that makes steady money, which can help start other projects. Corey's experience in running a marketing company and the importance of being an expert in your field offer great advice. This conversation is full of useful tips for anyone interested in starting a business. So let's dive in and learn from Corey's experience!
Instead of writing a lengthy article this week, I pointed my iPhone at my face, clipped on a wireless mic, put the puppy in the background of the shot, and hit record. I share my thoughts about forcing yourself to take breaks, even when you feel like you shouldn’t. I dive into the times in my life when that sentiment caused me massive mental health issues, and I point out a few misconceptions that contributed to that self-delusion.
If you’re having trouble taking breaks, this is for you.
Here’s my “take the break or the break takes you” moment.
Emmet Gibney truly walked the path less taken. Today, you'll hear about an extraordinary journey from customer support to interim CEO of Rewardful. You'll gain insights into how Emmett skillfully braved the transition following the company's acquisition by a private equity group. This episode will acquaint you with the power of referral and affiliate programs, and how they can provide the much-needed edge to entrepreneurs in their quest for growth.
This conversation with Emmett is a goldmine of subject-matter expert insights. We discuss the lucky turn of events that propelled him to the position of interim CEO at Rewardful, and his role in the growth trajectory of the SaaS Group. You'll learn about the intricate management processes this Private Equity company has woven for its portfolio companies. Understand the distinction between customer referral programs and affiliate marketing programs, and the art of setting them up. Emmett's experiences serve as a testament to the potential personal growth and career trajectory that can be achieved by working your way up — or being referred, as we find out.
We also delve deep into the art of building successful referral and affiliate systems. Listen to the success stories of two indie hackers and explore the strategies to build trust with affiliates and identify the right people for your affiliate system. Embrace the wisdom of the long-standing community members and learn how to attract the right newcomers to your work. This episode is not just about strategies but also about the nuances of human relationships in business – a true masterclass for entrepreneurs and those in the SaaS industry.
Get ready to unlock the secret to enhancing your business's value — whether you plan to sell or not. This episode will guide you through the concept of sellability and its crucial role in your business. Inspired by a riveting conversation with Kevin McArdle, a seasoned investor who shared valuable insights from his SaaS business acquisition experience, and the wisdom of John Warrillow's book, Built to Sell, I illuminate good business practices that can boost your business's sellability and value.
But it doesn't stop there. I'll equip you with practical strategies for exit planning that will make your business not only sellable but also ready for a smooth transition. Ready to build a sellable business?
Ever wonder how to build a successful start-up from scratch? This week, I'm joined by Louis Pereira, an indie founder who has done just that. Creator of the successful audio transcription product, AudioPen, Louis sheds light on his journey and the calculated risks he took with pricing and subscriptions to validate demand early on. He's a firm believer in building and launching products in public, a practice that he believes played a critical role in growing his audience and gaining traction — and it paid off mightily.
This isn't just a conversation about entrepreneurial success; it's a deep dive into the inner workings of a product, from handling customer conversations to managing bug reports and feature requests. Enjoy the inside view of a successful business on the rise.
Battle lines have been drawn. Human writers versus artificial intelligence - who will come out on top? I'm Arvid Kahl, your guide through the minefield of writing in a world where machines such as ChatGPT are generating content at a phenomenal rate. Can human authors still hold their own? Absolutely! Tune in as I reveal why the human touch and authenticity inherent in our content is irreplaceable, no matter how advanced AI becomes.
Ever wondered how to handle the competitive world of AI products and copycats while running a global business? Well, you're in luck. This episode of The Bootstrapped Founder features a heart-to-heart with indie hacker and global entrepreneur, Danny Postma. Danny takes us behind the scenes of his entrepreneurial journey, sharing priceless insights on transitioning from a solopreneur to a team leader, cleverly leveraging SEO, and the fascinating world of domain acquisitions.
Picture this: You're living the digital nomad lifestyle, working across time zones while experiencing new cultures. How do you make it all work? Danny Postma gives us a peek into his life as a digital nomad, the cultural differences that affect his way of work, and how he deals with the 12-hour time difference with grace. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the value of a good domain name and how it can be a game-changer for any business. Join us on this exciting journey and tap into the world of a successful global entrepreneur.
We delve deep into the world of online communities, exploring their growth, evolution, and the disruptive elements that can lead to their downfall. Drawing compelling parallels with traditional villages, we seek to understand the role of trust, shared culture, and considerate interaction in these digital spaces.
We touch on the dynamics that can lead to the erosion of online communities, such as inconsiderate self-promotion and the mass influx of new members who lack a shared understanding of the community's values. Drawing inspiration from Immanuel Kant's teachings, we discuss how short-term gains can often lead to long-term reputation costs.
The podcast episode offers insights on how to contribute positively and build a reputation as a valued member of these virtual communities. It serves as a guide to navigating the complex dynamics of online spaces, focusing on their enrichment rather than erosion.
Ever found yourself stepping into a role that you never expected you'd be in? That’s what my guest, Brian Sierakowski, did when he took over as CEO of Bearmetrics, a company that he had not founded, but was handed over to him after an acquisition by a private equity firm. Entering an existing team, dealing with the weight of expectations, and managing an already functioning business with its own culture and values, Brian's journey is a roller coaster of challenges and learnings that he’s eager to share with you today.
Learn about the power of eventual reciprocity and how it can benefit your business. Discover how giving without expecting anything in return can lead to long-term success, and find out how to strike the perfect balance between offering free content and monetizing your trade secrets. Don't miss out on this valuable lesson in entrepreneurship and audience building.
Step into the world of Tony Dinh, an accomplished indie hacker famed for his ability to craft products with show-stopping aesthetics while keeping them public on Twitter. Tony, who holds the helm in the product design world, made waves with his browser extension, Blackmagic, and his unique pricing and revenue model approach. Our chat offers a deep dive into Tony's journey and his decision-making process during the Twitter API price increase, eventually leading to the sale of Blackmagic to HypeFury. His insights on product design and experiences as a front-end engineer are worth their weight in gold.
Here the three common pitfalls that can sabotage your efforts to build a Twitter audience: transactional interactions, focusing on “free,” and a tonal mismatch. Learn how chasing virality, relying on transactional attention, and curating a negative tone can all backfire in the long run. Find out what kind of attention you should be seeking to build lasting relationships with your followers and grow your personal brand.
Are you a bootstrapper who's never considered raising investment money? Or maybe you're a die-hard VC-funded growth hacker who can't imagine running a business without that extra cash infusion. Either way, Jason Cohen's journey from bootstrapping to raising millions will give you a fresh perspective on the funding debate.
Jason discusses his personal discovery of wanting a different journey with WP Engine, which led to raising money after two years of bootstrapping. We also uncover the importance of understanding your competitors instead of demonizing them, in order to develop a unique strategy for your own business.
Jason has seen and done a lot as a founder. No matter what stage of this journey you’re on, you will learn something today.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:27 Raising money for bootstrapped companies.
00:09:16 When is it bad to sell your business?
00:15:31 The problem with self-imposed ignorance.
00:19:11 Founder mental health issues
00:23:04 How to hire people who are better than you.
00:27:26 The importance of having a consistent strategy.
00:31:20 The reality distortion field of a software business.
00:34:59 Do you ever consider building a solopreneur business again?
00:40:37 Do you ever consider not being a founder anymore?
00:45:12 The value of building a public network.
00:54:12 The importance of building public.
01:01:03 The importance of social media.
Jason on Twitter: @asmartbear
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/jason-cohen-two-exits-two-unicorns/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b349aec5
The video: https://youtu.be/fMniLsLl5nc
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com! Go to http://try.acquire.com/arvid/ to get started with making sure you run a sellable business.
Are entrepreneurs born or made? Find out as we explore the profound impact of nature and nurture on the development of an entrepreneurial spirit. Discover how family stories, socioeconomic status, and exposure to diverse narratives shape your perspectives and behaviors. Uncover what it takes to become a successful entrepreneur in the digital age.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/entrepreneurship-isnt-genetic-its-memetic/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/f85b818b
The video: https://youtu.be/vm4c4KQSKu0
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
Andrew McIntosh is a first-gen entrepreneur. And so am I. And we both needed help along the way. From building a sustainable and inclusive community for first-gen entrepreneurs to discussing the power of business coaching and growth mindset, you'll gain valuable insights into the world of entrepreneurship without a safety net. Learn from a successful underdog's story and get inspired to take your own entrepreneurial journey to the next level. No matter what your parents say.
Andrew on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrew_drives
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/andrew-mcintosh-first-generation-entrepreneurs/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e49eaaa6
The video: https://youtu.be/Iez5Qcz6JOs
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com! Go to http://try.acquire.com/arvid/ to get started with making sure you run a sellable business.
Are you responding to customer service requests as quickly as possible? You may think it's the best strategy, but this dedication comes at a hefty price. Today, I will share my experience with the pros and cons of super-quick customer service responses, the role of software tooling, and how to balance response speed with good business sense. Discover the layered approach to customer service that will help you have your speedy cake and eat it, too.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/responding-fast-to-customers-a-good-idea/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/5d404f4d
The video: https://youtu.be/J8qbNR3rz0w
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com
Today, I’m talking to Moritz Dausinger, a serial indie hacker with several exits under his belt. Moritz most recently pivoted his software business Refiner after 18 months of trying to figure out a way forward. Well, now he’s found it. We will chat about figuring out how to structure sales, how and who to hire, and if he wants to sell this business again, for a third time.
Moritz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/mdausinger
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/moritz-dausinger-serial-indie-entrepreneurship/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/215b9c09
The video: https://youtu.be/8jiwJZyMjEI
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This episode is sponsored by Acquire.com!
Are you struggling to find the balance between the utility of your product and its perceived value? Let’s explore the biggest misconception in entrepreneurship and discover how to create a high-utility business at the intersection of your fields of interest. Find out what Swiss Army knives have to do with it, too!
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/utility-pricing-and-entrepreneurship/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d8b22900
The video: https://youtu.be/G4KZWbYutEs
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo at usepinto.com/learn
Kevin McArdle bought my SaaS. For millions. And now, I get to talk to him about all things acquisition. In our chat, we discuss the importance of annual exit planning for startup founders, we explore the mindset and framework necessary for building a successful and sellable business, as well as the benefits of stepping outside of your normal workplace to think strategically. With practical advice and personal anecdotes, this conversation is a must-watch for any entrepreneur looking to achieve long-term success — and a big life-changing check at the end.
Kevin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kevin_McArdle
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/kevin-mcardle-the-man-who-changed-my-life-and-could-change-yours/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d938c4ce
The video: https://youtu.be/Wx0hEK0zNPU
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Join me on a thought-provoking journey as I explore the challenge of balancing authenticity and public opinion on social media. Discover the struggle faced by an entrepreneur and creator who wants to build a Twitter audience while staying true to themselves. Yours truly. I'll ask the tough question: how much of my "true self" should I reveal in the public domain?
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/self-censorship-on-twitter/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9216f800
The video: https://youtu.be/6Hk5qbjXZJk
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo at usepinto.com/learn
Are you feeling burnt out or overwhelmed by societal expectations?
Today, I’m talking to Paul Millerd, author of “The Pathless Path.” We talk about hustle traps, the stories we tell ourselves about success, and our obsession with productivity. Learn how to connect with yourself, rediscover leisure as a positive force in your life, and find "the others."
Discover how to expand your horizons and find your own way in life, all while building and teaching in public.
Paul on Twitter: https://twitter.com/p_millerd/
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/paul-millerd-walking-the-pathless-path/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/14e38471
The video: https://youtu.be/fqAN89v8DQ4
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Discover how to make your Twitter profile a promise of a fruitful long-term relationship with your future followers. Today,. let’s explore the biggest misconceptions surrounding Twitter profiles and how optimizing your profile can turn visitors into followers. From the purpose of your profile to the importance of using real estate wisely, you’ll find the common mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/twitter-teardowns-3-low-hanging-fruit-to-massively-improve-your-twitter-presence/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/20b5a449
The video: https://youtu.be/_Ia8dnuXOg8
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo at usepinto.com/learn
"Imposter syndrome isn’t just a moment of self-doubt — it’s all-encompassing. It prevents founders from taking action, from taking a risk in the first place."
This week, Dr. Julie Gurner shares with me how high performers combat the challenges founders commonly face. She’s a performance coach and Doctor of Psychology. We’ll talk about dealing with imposter syndrome, burnout, how to deal with the avalanche of advice on Twitter, and why it is so hard for founders to cope with stress.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/dr-julie-gurner-founder-mental-health-101/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bb3e42ca
The video: https://youtu.be/RjIZ8g0sxZw
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Sharing your journey as an entrepreneur can be scary, but it's a great way to connect with your audience and demonstrate your expertise. Let's explore the difference between sharing business insights and trade secrets, and construct a Share/Don't Share list to help you decide what to share with your audience.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/how-to-build-in-public-without-revealing-too-much/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9ed43fa8
The video: https://youtu.be/iq_DetrM-DE
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo at usepinto.com/learn
Joe Masilotti is the founder of RailsDev —a reverse job board— and a Turbo Native consultant. In this conversation, we explore Joe Masilotti's philosophy on entrepreneurship and his focus on empowering software developers to find work. Joe's approach to monetizing Open Source is particularly interesting: he gives away his product for free with an eventual revenue share. We delve into the various marketing strategies that Joe uses for his different business ventures, including cold emailing, content marketing, and live coding.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/joe-masilotti-building-in-public-and-monetizing-open-source
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ebd473b8
The video: https://youtu.be/uxfUZ31QYGY
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
If you're an entrepreneur looking to start a digital business, you might be tempted to aim for a "forever business" right from the start. However, pursuing this approach can be dangerous. Today, you'll learn how to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of digital entrepreneurship, build successful businesses that serve your customers and owners, and avoid the pitfalls of pursuing a "forever business" from day one.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/why-entrepreneurs-are-choosing-short-lived-businesses-over-forever-businesses
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e1eb3929
The video: https://youtu.be/lzYc5ArzTsw
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
In this episode, I interviewSimon Høiberg, an active software engineer, founder, and YouTuber. Simon shares his strategies for balancing his roles as a creator and maker, and discusses the importance of incorporating personal experience into his content. He also delves into the power of intrinsic motivation and joy in entrepreneurship, and how he gamifies his life to prioritize these elements. The conversation touches on topics such as productivity, mental health, team management, and burnout prevention.
Join me and Simon for an insightful conversation on entrepreneurship, content creation, and personal growth. Be inspired by Simon's passion for empowering entrepreneurs, and learn how you can incorporate joy and intrinsic motivation into your own entrepreneurial journey.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/simon-hoiberg-building-a-saas-that-works-for-you
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/05f2d837
The video: https://youtu.be/U0cUsvxHtn0
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Have you ever searched for the perfect resume to get hired? Or tried to create a product that appeals to everyone? This essay explores the logical fallacy of wishful reasoning and the importance of picking a niche. Discover why building a successful product means addressing a specific set of needs for a particular group of customers, and why a well-defined niche is the best place to start.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-dangerous-misconception-founders-have-about-their-market/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e22791e5
The video: https://youtu.be/jRc37k7I46s
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
Evelyn J. Starr is a brand-building expert. We talk about finding the right niche, having a community-centric long-term perspective, and how brands evolve —you might call it “grow up”— over time. Here’s Evelyn.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
Evelyn's Twitter: https://twitter.com/EvelynJStarr
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/evelyn-j-starr-the-evolution-of-a-brand/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/69cc34f4
The video: https://youtu.be/CTKESAugLP8
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Building in public is a popular trend in entrepreneurship. However, it may not always be the best approach. Entrepreneurs should consider their personality traits, the nature of their business, and their competitive advantages before deciding whether to adopt this approach. Building in public is about generosity, transparency, and community, and can be a powerful way to gain customers' trust, build a brand, and grow a business if these values align with the business model and personal style — but not always.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-flip-side-when-not-to-build-in-public/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/815ae514
The video: https://youtu.be/GoJB6ngrS1M
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
Today, I’m talking to Jack Ellis, the co-founder of Fathom Analytics, a privacy-conscious web analytics business that I personally use for all my web properties. The company that Jack co-founded with Paul Jarvis competes directly with Google on their linchpin advertising product. That’s a pretty high order. We chat about Jack's role in a growing successful software business and just how much he hesitates to go from coder to manager. We dive into choosing reliable dependencies to power an always-on SaaS business and how to deal with migrating customers from Google to Fathom.
Here’s a deep dive into a successful technical SaaS business. Here’s Jack Ellis.
Jack on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackEllis
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/jack-ellis-taking-on-google-as-a-bootstrapper/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/cda46335
The video: https://youtu.be/oGjrUs0JB8w
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
People would rather sift through fake AI results than see yet another ad. Something is happening in advertising, and the creator economy is affected greatly.
The shift towards trust-based advertising is a wake-up call for founders and creators when crafting their marketing strategy, as honesty, integrity, and trust are now essential components of a successful approach to outreach.
Here are the steps that you need to take to keep up with this development.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/in-pod-we-trust-how-creators-can-best-juggle-credibility-and-sponsored-content/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7ff5761e
The video: https://youtu.be/AZFbKUSmq_I
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
When Fatih started his sticker business Stikkernet, his peers asked him, “You’re a developer; why don’t you write this from scratch?” His response? “Why should I?”
Today, I'm talking to my dear old friend Fatih Kadir Akın — or fka for short. We discuss his unexpected journey of building a successful business out of a simple idea. Fatih shares his experience with building Stikkernet and how he grew his audience through community building. We chat about the challenges of logistics when shipping internationally and how Fatih found solutions that worked so well it lead to an exit.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/fatih-kadir-akin-selling-a-global-sticker-business/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/155fff77
The video: https://youtu.be/ijU4vYrBDwo
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
What happens when we encounter something so novel that our minds can't fully comprehend it? Today, let’s explore the "Rubber Band Effect" and how it impacts both journalists and entrepreneurs alike. Learn how to build products that fit seamlessly into your customers' workflows and how to effectively communicate the results your product can achieve, without overwhelming them with the complexity of the underlying technology.
The Ai researcher's video "The A.I. Dilemma": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoVJKj8lcNQ
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-rubber-band-effect/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ad970e30
The video: https://youtu.be/iHxd1iKI970
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
“As an entrepreneur, you need someone you’ve been through shit with already” — and that’s exactly why Dagobert and Lucie are the perfect power couple co-founders. I chatted with @dagobertrenouf about overcoming struggle, growing a business together, and dealing with the lack of motivation when things get complicated.
We discuss the power of Twitter and building an audience before creating a product. Dagobert shares his personal journey with Logology and how he lost motivation before finding inspiration from his Twitter community. He also talks about the importance of understanding customers' problems before building a product and how he plans to apply this lesson to Logology 2.
Hope you’re ready for an emotional journey of entrepreneurship.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/dagobert-renouf-the-emotional-journey-of-entrepreneurship/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/2b57060d
The video: https://youtu.be/4aOLgJC8CKU
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
Using ChatGPT as a writing partner helps strengthen arguments by acting as an editor, proofreader, and devil's advocate. It prompts the AI to provide counterpoints and can detect emotional subtext, highlight missing pieces of the argument, and suggest better examples. This adversarial writing approach with generative AI results in writing that is both in the author's voice and accessible to a wider readership.
00:00:14 Intro
00:01:33 ChatGPT as a writing buddy
00:03:13 Bias-busting with a Devil's Advocate
00:04:48 Other uses of ChatGPT
00:06:13 Fact-checking
00:07:22 Emotional arcs
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/writing-with-a-nemesis-using-chatgpt-to-strengthen-your-arguments/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/562c4b5f
The video: https://youtu.be/3Rk17om7crU
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
Few people had an impact on my founder journey as Dr. Sherry Walling — and she didn't even know. But I got to tell her! We discussed burnout, imposter syndrome, and stress among founders. Sherry explained the need for mental health professionals who understand the unique challenges of entrepreneurship and shared that burnout is a diagnosable issue.
While entrepreneurs have more control over their work, long hours and hustle culture can still lead to burnout. Her book, "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Shit Together," helped me during a period of burnout while selling my business.
Now, you get to learn from her and her deeply actionable insights into founder psychology.
00:00:00 Introduction to Sherry Walling
00:03:13 Mental health in the entrepreneur community.
00:09:17 Do entrepreneurs have control over their destiny?
00:15:22 How do you find good mastermind groups?
00:21:52 Mental health is not always called mental health
00:28:20 Grief is the emotional reaction to loss
00:34:06 You can have relationships with people who don’t get it.
00:40:24 Mental health apps are not a replacement for therapy.
00:45:59 Why aren’t more people talking about mental health?
The WIRED article about mental health apps: https://www.wired.com/story/are-mental-health-apps-worth-trying/
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/dr-sherry-walling-the-reality-of-burnout-for-entrepreneurs/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/dc436cce
The video: https://youtu.be/hIwaExsScWk
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
This week, I got on my first post-COVID trip and headed to Denver, Colorado for MicroConf 2023.
It.
Was.
Awesome.
Unsurprisingly, being in the same room with 250 other bootstrapped SaaS founders is one of the nerdiest things you can do. And it was as enlightening as it was nerdy. I just arrived back home in Canada a few hours ago, so I took the opportunity to share my insights from the conference on my podcast. Enjoy!
00:00:14 Intro
00:02:26 What is MicroConf?
00:08:42 STIR
00:11:21 The talks
00:16:34 The speaksessionsers
00:19:19 My session on mental health
00:25:43 Feeling isolated
00:28:31 How to start a conversation about your own experience.
00:34:37 Mental health as a founder is paramount.
00:37:25 MicroConf is more than just a conference
00:43:28 Things outside the conference hall
My MicroConf EU 2019 attendee talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TheiytjsZoY
MicroConf Connect: https://microconf.com/connect
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/microconf-us-23-recap-what-happens-when-250-saas-founders-meet/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9d12dbc0
The video: https://youtu.be/8ty4NNbVnMo
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
When it comes to building an "owned audience," nothing beats an email list. Louis Nicholls is a newsletter expert, and he shared with me how to monetize a list, how to grow it reliably, and why cold emails are often done spectacularly wrong.
Louis will show you how to do email right.
00:00:00 Why did you choose to build SparkLoop?
00:05:23 Grow an audience, monetize a list
00:09:07 How do you maintain customer quality in a network?
00:14:55 Advice on how to cross-link your knowledge with other channels.
00:18:48 How much is too much in terms of "buying" subscribers?
00:21:59 What makes a newsletter word of mouth-worthy?
00:27:48 Struggling with self-promotion
00:31:51 What makes a good or a really bad cold email?
00:36:44 Why all cold emails look the same
00:42:57 Why a good message is never cold
00:48:57 Borrowed audiences always have risk
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/louis-nicholls-growing-your-newsletter/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/8e4bcbf9
The video: https://youtu.be/FNolzZtXjLI
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
ChatGPT is everywhere. But can we build businesses on it? What risks will we face? Let's dive into the future of entrepreneurship in a world where AI is ubiquitous.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/chatgpt-goldmine-or-minefield-for-indie-hackers/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/efd69983
The video: https://youtu.be/J4eNi1uqxUI
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
Marie and Ben are a power couple. Together, they run Notion Mastery, an intense workshop for people who want to use Notion professionally and productively. In our conversation, we'll dive into platform risk, building a sustainable educational business, how to work together as a couple, and why social media distribution matters a lot to educational founders. Enjoy!
00:00:00 What can we learn from permaculture?
00:04:55 How do you make it profitable?
00:10:57 Building an info product on top of a shifting platform?
00:13:28 How do you keep your courses relevant in the future?
00:19:14 Perfectionism is a huge problem
00:22:12 How do you speak to an audience that is so diverse?
00:27:33 Are you a user or are you a builder?
00:29:52 Channels that have worked the best.
00:33:55 Partnerships
00:37:16 How to build a business with yout partner.
00:43:08 What is needed to keep a long-term event like this running?
00:46:34 The breathing business
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/marie-poulin-benjamin-borowski-digital-permaculture/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/faf48b60
The video: https://youtu.be/Dr0Uty8heyo
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Artificial scarcity, a marketing tactic that fosters urgency in customers, can lead to short-term financial gains but raises ethical concerns and negative consequences in the creator economy. Drawbacks include damaging relationships, promoting impulsive purchases, and exacerbating global inequality. While there are exceptions, such as outcome-oriented communities and front-loading financial gains, adopting an abundance mindset and cultivating genuine relationships is a more sustainable long-term strategy in the digital realm.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/artificial-scarcity-damages-the-creator-economy/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/37d137db
The video: https://youtu.be/0ypM30tG1Mg
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Pinto Financial. Check out their demo!
Most of Josh Spector's newsletter issues are just a few sentences. Sometimes, just a link. And still, advertisers and readers alike flock to Josh's emails. In our conversation, you will learn why brevity is so attractive, how to make sure you're telling the right stories to the right people, and how to build systems that keep people coming back for more.
00:00:00 How to think about scarcity
00:04:16 Josh's newsletter(s)
00:08:49 Ads that feel less like ads
00:12:21 Why you need to know what you want to sell
00:16:20 How Josh got started
00:22:02 Advertising is just another way for people to connect
00:26:32 Maintain and improve the quality of your audience
00:30:51 How to get people to subscribe to your newsletter
00:34:54 Why you need to shorten your email newsletter
00:39:28 How to use video as part of your content strategy
00:48:12 Empathy with the needs of your audience
00:51:31 Helping your reader
00:57:16 Having an audience centric approach to business
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/josh-spector-saying-less-and-making-more/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/6bbf0f6e
The video: https://youtu.be/AND8f7I_Tr0
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find Your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Sponsored by Acquire.com.
This is probably the most concentrated and well-produced podcast I've been on in a long while. And I want to share it with you here today as a bonus episode.
Kudos to @YongSooChung for putting his money where his mic is. He spent a lot of time, money, and energy to make this episode happen. This is a great ep, and if want to learn about my whole founder journey, I recommend a listen.
Here's the original show: https://www.firstclassfounders.com/life-changing-wisdom-with-arvid-kahl-from-selling-a-saas-business-to-becoming-a-creator/
Yong-Soo Chung on Twitter: https://twitter.com/YongSooChung
What are the factors involved in choosing a solid business name? From securing an available domain to choosing a unique name for SEO reasons, I delve into the linguistic and cultural considerations of choosing a business name, including avoiding potentially offensive or negative connotations in various markets.
I also emphasize the importance of trademarking the business name and domain to protect from infringement and legal disputes. Future-proofing a business name involves securing social media handles and reevaluating and possibly undertaking a rebranding process if the business's direction changes significantly or the target audience's preferences shift over time.
This podcast episode offers practical insights and tips on choosing a fitting business name that represents your brand's identity and promise.
https://namemesh.pro/ : Generates domain name suggestions based on your keywords.
https://www.shopify.com/tools/business-name-generator Offers a variety of business name ideas based on your input.
Lean Domain Search: Matches your keyword with thousands of potential domain names. Namium is great, too.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-art-of-naming-your-business/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/9c485402
The video: https://youtu.be/HDGSrHBrLtk
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Localazy! use the coupon ARVID for 25% off.
Peter knows how to get good domains and turn them into businesses. He's selling onions, helps dude ranchers get clients, and will share his approach to monetizing domains as well as purchasing them on the cheap side. Peter's been building online marketplaces for a while, and he'll teach you how he approaches setting up profitable businesses.
00:00:00 Peter’s unique approach to building a business.
00:02:59 The right mindset to become an entrepreneur.
00:05:46 Getting into domain name investing.
00:11:11 The domain name investing path.
00:16:20 The importance of having a domain first.
00:20:08 What’s a directory marketplace like?
00:26:43 The domain-first approach is genius.
00:30:00 The importance of no-brainer pricing.
00:33:37 How to use a domain portfolio to build your business
00:39:22 Peter is not afraid of going into a new industry.
00:44:21 The importance of having a good domain name.
00:52:13 Industries to avoid
00:58:48 Peter's world
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/peter-askew-domain-expertise/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/da30dbce
The video: https://youtu.be/vGN8fPLg4Nw
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Sponsored by Acquire.com.
Here are my personal strategies for achieving consistency in content creation, which encompass implementing accountability systems, connecting with my audience, and reaping financial and lifestyle rewards. Additionally, I explore the difficulties of maintaining motivation and the vital role of community in this process.
I recount my own story, beginning with the launch of a blog and ultimately leading to the development of a self-perpetuating content creation cycle. Throughout this journey, I've expanded my income sources by securing sponsorships and authoring books. By highlighting the significance of consistency, I aim to inspire others to adopt it as a guiding principle in their own creative endeavors.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/how-i-stay-consistent/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7bd407f4
The video: https://youtu.be/K3qSwVT1Sh0
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Justin Jackson has been successfully bootstrapping Transistor.fm with a small team throughout the ups and downs of a shifting economy. He even rejected massive clients to be able to keep running a calm and self-funded business. Find out just how important it is to stay independent, resilient, and nimble, and what building on open standards has to do with that.
00:00:00 Justin Jackson
00:01:24 The world of ideas
00:10:32 Understanding the context of advice.
00:15:58 The importance of attribution
00:20:49 What’s the most important metric?
00:25:29 What’s your company for?
00:29:56 Having a team that can execute at the highest level
00:35:34 The repercussions of decisions
00:40:41 Simple things are more resilient than complicated things
00:45:26 Platform risk
00:51:22 The problem with centralized discoverability
01:00:53 The importance of open standards
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/justin-jackson-bootstrapping-transistor-fm-on-open-standards/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1740724b
The video: https://youtu.be/y0yIZ-O8nNQ
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Sponsored by Acquire.com.
Looking to build a successful SaaS business? Don't just focus on product-market fit. In this video, learn about the Solution-Workflow Fit, a crucial element to consider for success. Discover why the medium in which your solution is implemented and the workflow of your customers matter just as much as the technical side of your solution. See real-life examples and learn how to research your target industry's existing workflows, design your solution to fit between existing tools, and adapt your solution to fit your customers' needs. Achieving solution-workflow fit is key to creating a successful SaaS business that truly helps and empowers your customers.
My new podcast project: Arvid & Tyler Catch Up / https://catchup.fm
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/the-saas-solution-workflow-fit
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/f9bf24a1
The video: https://youtu.be/eb5cS5Z1vBk
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Rob Fitzpatrick is a serial entrepreneur, a writer, a community leader, and a very curious human being. I talk to Rob about building an incredibly complicated business, the world of self-publishing, what AI tools can and will do for humanity, and how to build communities that can run by themselves.
00:00:00 Rob Fitzpatrick
00:03:38 The challenges of building the Useful Books business
00:10:01 A rare breed
00:14:47 The passion discount
00:21:12 What’s changed in self-publishing?
00:26:43 What’s your pet peeve of the publishing industry?
00:32:48 Knowledge production
00:39:06 Short-term wins are not going to be around for long
00:42:21 Different voices for the same content
00:47:39 Prose be gone
00:54:26 Staying accountable in an accountability community
00:57:45 Late-stage communities
01:02:26 Rob’s passion and the purpose of communities
Brandon Sanderson's class on Indie Publishing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHdYX418PaA
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/rob-fitzpatrick-tinkerers-thinkers-and-teachers/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/fd014e11
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqPF3a0px68
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
How to secure your product, the business, and an eventual exit, including using established frameworks, outsourcing to secure third-party vendors, and having clear and complete account separation.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/securing-your-saas/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/6c645953
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNOr7BheIz8
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
Troy Hunt (of HaveIBeenPwned fame) is a cybersecurity expert who has been around long enough to be able to give actionable and pragmatic security advice without complicating things.
In our conversation, we chat about best practices for securing your SaaS business, how to get your family to be more secure, what it means to vet your vendors, if you should build your own authentication and why passwords just won't die.
After this conversation, you will know how to adequately secure your SaaS business without having to spend thousands of dollars.
00:00:00 Troy Hunt
00:00:59 The 1 thing SaaS founders get wrong
00:05:14 Why you shouldn’t build your own authentication
00:09:17 Library update management
00:13:42 Using third-party services
00:19:08 Data breaches and security expectations
00:26:39 Browser extensions
00:31:53 What is the right amount of security?
00:37:11 Giving your customers security options
00:42:13 The Have I Been Pwned + 1Password deal
00:48:18 Password managers
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/securing-your-saas-with-troy-hunt/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d2244c65
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRM-UrS440s
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
Goodhart's law is powerful and important to remember for every creator: when a measure becomes a target, people tend to optimize their behavior to meet that target, which can lead to unintended consequences. You'll see examples of this law in action, including in education and social media, and learn the negative consequences of over-optimizing for follower count. But I won't let you go without prevention methods and tips for building a quality audience on social media.
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:51 Goodhart's Law
00:03:28 The Pitfalls of Focusing on Follower Count
00:07:32 The Negative Consequences of Over-Optimizing for Follower Count
00:09:18 Prevention Methods
00:12:16 How to Build a Quality Audience on Social Media
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/dont-fall-for-the-follower-count-trap
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/33be4469
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1HtIy5JyHI
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Fathom Analytics.
Today, I’m talking to Matt Wensing — the founder behind Summit and tweeter of many often controversial things. We talk about bootstrapping a financial SaaS, how to deal with integrations, and when to take funding. Here’s Matt.
00:00:00 An exchange of stories
00:04:54 What’s your strategy?
00:09:31 Writing long-form
00:15:05 Bridging the gap between invention and commercialization.
00:19:56 Creators and salespeople.
00:25:58 How a little bit of cash can change the trajectory of your business.
00:34:34 Bootstrapping is not a shot in the dark
00:41:48 The importance of trust (in the crypto space.)
00:47:55 Centralization has to occur for other people to benefit
00:54:58 How not to leave people behind
00:59:29 How do you look at platform risk from both sides?
00:1:05:06 The nature of platforms
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/matt-wensing-publish-your-juicy-thoughts/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/f7deea33
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pBYsl1UxeY
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
Stair-stepping into software entrepreneurship is a great way for developers to start their own businesses without taking on massive risks. Building a plugin on an established platform allows developers to leverage existing user bases and traffic to grow their business quickly, while also being aware of the risks associated with platform dependency, profit-sharing, and limited flexibility.
My interview with Collen Schnettler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpcYTO5x3cY
Rob Walling's Stair-Stepping: https://robwalling.com/2015/03/26/the-stair-step-method-of-bootstrapping/
Preetham Nath: https://www.preetamnath.com/blog/grow-shopify-micro-saas-to-25k-mrr-in-14-months
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/stair-stepping-with-plugins-platforms-to-build-on/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/51643e63
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjOHqn4PJZM
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Drata.
Today, I’m talking to Colleen Schnettler, co-founder of Hammerstone and build-in-public podcaster. We talk about getting bootstrapper-compatible funding, juggling way too many projects, and selling a business when you know it’s time to move on. Here’s Colleen.
00:00:00 A lot of podcasts
00:06:01 Building on Heroku
00:12:25 Building on Marketplaces
00:16:59 Dealing with support requests
00:21:49 Pressure to sell?
00:26:27 Hammerstone
00:31:24 Business Value
00:35:46 Value of value
00:41:11 The risks of having just a few big customers
00:46:12 Getting bootstrapper funding
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/colleen-schnettler-stair-stepping-into-saas/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/281dbe46
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpcYTO5x3cY
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
Arvid shares what writing can bring to the founder table.
Self-funded entrepreneurs can benefit from honing their writing skills, as it can be used to communicate ideas and thoughts clearly, attract attention, foster relationships, and build a personal brand.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/writing-for-founders/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/735924e4
The video: https://youtu.be/1R5scFwM5Xw
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Drata.
Today, I’m talking to Hassan Osman— he’s the host of Writer on the Side, and himself a prolific writer. We talk about crafting books that sell (and keep selling), self-publishing on Amazon, and how to write while having a full-time job. Here’s Hassan!
00:00:00 Introduction to Hassan Osman
00:05:59 Slowly shifting your perspective
00:10:48 Do you update your books that you have written?
00:17:24 How short-sighted publishers can be
00:24:29 The importance of the time component in your book
00:29:12 The ROI if a diverse range of topics
00:34:47 Pick topics that are intersectional, not generic
00:41:43 You don’t need to write a big book to be successful
00:47:03 Using a marketplace vs doing it on your own
00:52:15 Investing in yourself and your public brand
00:56:22 Selling on Amazon and Udemy
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/writing-on-the-side-with-hassan-osman/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b67953c3
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tsx78OkIiEk
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This interview is sponsored by Acquire.com
Arvid talks about how applied kindness builds a brand and an audience.
In a hostile world, many founders isolate themselves, but this isn't sustainable. Kindness changes the world, so be honest when self-promoting and set boundaries with hostility. Kindness can be seen in every aspect of life, creating a cycle of positive change.
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/be-the-kindest-person-in-the-room/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/0f9109d5
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY3xrnn82Qg
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
KP talks about building in public, sharing your journey, and becoming a respected community member.
Today, I’m talking to KP — the build-in-public guy. KP has been a pillar of the indie hacker community, and we talk about how to involve yourself, empower others, and eventually build a community around your personal brand and the things you care about. Here’s KP.
00:00:00 KP’s founder hotline
00:04:32 The struggle beneath success
00:12:11 The connection between teacher and student
00:16:26 Sharing what you know
00:19:18 The importance of staying in the community
00:23:28 Serial entrepreneurship is severely misunderstood
00:29:46 An iterative approach to learning
00:33:38 Removing yourself from your ask
00:37:14 Sales and trust
00:42:21 The fear of losing your market
00:49:23 The importance of having a mindset of “I’m not the XYZ guy”
00:55:12 Quality doesn't matter as much as we think
- Building an Authentic Personal Brand with KP
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now including Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Negative reviews are an important part of the customer experience, as they provide valuable feedback to creators about how their product or service is being perceived.
Reviews can be a source of frustration for founders, as they may not reflect the quality of the work, but rather the disconnect between the customer's expectation and the reality of the product.
It is important for creators to stay mindful of how they position their products in the marketplace and ensure that their messaging aligns with the customer's experience.
00:00:00 Negative Reviews
00:01:11 Reality vs Expectation
00:02:43 Positioning Errors
The blog post: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/negative-reviews-are-good-for-you/
The podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/46b3421d
The video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fulkEU1JAVU
You'll find my weekly article on my blog: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com
Podcast: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/podcast
Newsletter: https://thebootstrappedfounder.com/newsletter
My book Zero to Sold: https://zerotosold.com/
My book The Embedded Entrepreneur: https://embeddedentrepreneur.com/
My course Find your Following: https://findyourfollowing.com
Find me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/arvidkahl/
This episode is sponsored by Drata.
Brennan shares the secrets to using emails to build relationships and increase your revenue.
Today, I’m talking to Brennan Dunn, the founder of Palladio, co-founder of RightMessage, and general email expert. As a newsletter author myself, I took to this opportunity to learn as much as possible about personalizing and optimizing my email strategy. You’ll also hear what most people get wrong in email marketing. Here’s Brennan.
00:00:00 Brennan Dunn
00:00:48 What is up with email clients?
00:05:05 Integrating with large platforms
00:08:34 Maybe build a competitor?
00:12:12 Emails and metadata
00:16:20 Email personalization and how it works
00:22:07 How do you get started with this?
00:25:28 Focusing time and effort on certain platforms
00:31:24 The difference between an email list and a newsletter
00:36:30 The importance of segmentation
00:41:06 Use segmentation to increase your list
00:48:56 Customer centric marketing
00:54:24 Is email the right medium to de-risk?
00:59:20 Don’t over-saturate
- Mastering Email Marketing with Brennan Dunn
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
To increase your chances of success as an entrepreneur, think outside the box and expand your opportunity surface. This can be achieved by embracing activities that don't scale, diversifying inputs, and taking small steps toward achieving your goals. These strategies will help you create valuable connections, build strong relationships and gain valuable insights that will lead to success.
00:00:00 Laura's journey
00:01:10 The parable of the monkey and the pedestal.
00:02:28 A cultural problem
00:03:36 Reflecting on the monkey
- The Monkey and the Pedestal
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
If you're interested in Descript, go and check it out here.
Today, I’m talking to Laura Elizabeth. She co-hosts the Non-Tech Founders podcast and runs several products as a non-technical founder. We talk about outsourcing, trust, and building an audience around your business. Here’s Laura!
00:00:00 Laura Elizabeth
00:02:10 Running a non-technical founder podcast
00:09:28 Hiring the right people
00:12:14 Hiring people who can do something you can't
00:17:27 Being able to do everything is both awesome and frightening
00:20:13 Experimenting with different modes of delegating
00:25:45 Establishing an internal process for your business
00:30:00 On Phrasing
00:36:30 The importance of having a mentor
00:42:04 Providing the fertile ground for luck to strike
00:45:04 The hardest part is overcoming your inner demon
00:52:56 Why it's good to have an expert for website personalization
00:56:33 Where you can follow Laura
- Building Software Products As a Non-Technical Founder With Laura Elizabeth
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
To increase your chances of success as an entrepreneur, think outside the box and expand your opportunity surface. This can be achieved by embracing activities that don't scale, diversifying inputs, and taking small steps toward achieving your goals. These strategies will help you create valuable connections, build strong relationships and gain valuable insights that will lead to success.
- Expanding Your Opportunity Surface
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
If you're interested in Descript, go and check it out here.
Today, I’m talking to Daniel Fayle — co-founder of Chekkit, a business he and his team have boostrapped to $2mil in ARR. We’ll touch on finding the right vertical to get started, how to do things that don’t scale, and what choices need to be made to get a business to 7 figures.
00:00:00 Daniel Fayle
00:05:35 Getting started with Chekkit
00:09:00 Local marketing & picking verticals
00:12:05 When to hire a team?
00:17:25 Integrations
00:22:33 Pricing choices
00:25:32 How to be inspired by competition?
00:29:54 The importance of customer support
00:36:31 Setting limits on free trials
00:41:55 Use the tech that your customers use
00:47:15 How to stay on top of your game
- Door-to-door to $2M ARR with Daniel Fayle
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
I was chatting with Marissa Goldberg about remote work this week, and she gave me several handy frameworks for founders who want to build remote-first businesses. At the center of any successful remote work relationship lies trust.
And surprisingly, many businesses have a tough time trusting anyone once they can't see them at their desk in the office. Remote work is throwing a wrench in the time-honored tradition of butt-in-seat-hands-on-keyboard that so many managers consider to be the pinnacle of productivity.
Remote work does away with this.
00:00:00 Remote Work is Here to Stay
00:01:28 Async is the New Default
00:04:42 The Deep Work Zone
00:06:17 Trust and Having Nowhere to Hide
- The Role of Trust in Remote Work
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
Today, I’m talking to Marissa Goldberg. She’s an expert in remote work and guides companies and founders alike toward a future-proof workplace. We’ll talk about productivity, best practices for going remote, and setting up a remote team of all sizes. Here’s Marissa.
00:00:00 Remote Work and Future Proof Workplaces
00:02:03 What is Remote Work Prep?
00:06:54 The right approach to go about remote work.
00:11:00 Traditional hiring doesn’t work for remote teams.
00:17:29 Integrating rest into your work.
00:23:10 The perversion of productivity & responsiveness policies.
00:27:27 Issues with video calls.
00:31:02 The difference between a conversation and a phone call.
00:37:12 How to transition from pandemic remote to normal remote.
00:41:10 The culture of control and top-down decision-making.
00:45:29 There’s no place to hide with remote work.
00:51:58 How do you keep doing what you do?
00:56:23 What is impostor syndrome? What is it and why does it exist?
- Running a Remote-First Business with Marissa Goldberg
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
This week I chatted with Patrick Campbell about his exit of ProfitWell to Paddle for $200 million. One of the most mind-blowing things that I experienced during that conversation was hearing Patrick tell me that he feels he needs to build something else to prove that his exit -$200 million- was not just a fluke.
I did not expect that, but I should have because I feel the same way all the time. And the more founders I talk to, whatever stage of their journey they might be on, I hear them tell me the same story too. Whether they just started out or sold their business for millions a few years ago, they still struggle with who they are, what they should be doing, and proving themselves and their worth to others.
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:29 Sponsor
00:01:44 Introduction
00:02:50 Balancing Parenting & Business
00:04:58 Overthinking
00:06:22 Addictions
00:08:03 Dealing with Failure
00:09:45 Not delegating can lead to anxiety
00:11:13 Burnout & Dreading Loss
00:12:49 Navigating imposter syndrome when others appear successful
00:14:44 Second-guessing decisions and dealing with incomplete data
00:16:29 Underestimating and Judging Yourself
00:18:14 Debilitating Shiny Object Syndrome
00:19:54 Feeling guilty for taking a break
00:21:09 Underwhelming Sales
00:24:03 Outro
- Founder Mental Health Pitfalls
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by Senja.
Today, I’m talking to Patrick Campbell, founder of ProfitWell, a bootstrapped business that recently got acquired by Paddle for a whopping 200 million dollars.
I talked to Patrick about getting acquired for 9 figures, finding your footing as a founder after such an incredible exit, where the online payment industry is heading, and how mental health challenges follow us wherever we go.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:04 Patrick's entrepreneurial journey
00:03:10 A different approach to marketing
00:06:23 Help Sells: providing free value and then selling
00:13:53 Dealing with a $200mil exit
00:15:55 Filming a documentary while exiting
00:19:03 Keeping the company running during the sale
00:24:42 Anxiety during the sale
00:28:08 Anxiety AFTER the sale
00:34:12 Jumping right back into work
00:37:28 Building trust with your team
00:41:49 Defining your role in a deal
00:45:05 Will Patrick ever take a vacation?
00:49:38 It never ends: mental health for founders
00:54:05 The future of the payment industry
- Life After a $200mil Exit with Patrick Campbell
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
As a creative entrepreneur, it is important to diversify your portfolio and have multiple projects in progress in order to reach a wider audience, stabilize income streams, and protect yourself from the risks associated with relying on any one platform. In order to do this, it is essential to own the means of communication with your audience, such as through a newsletter or blog, and to repurpose content for different formats. Additionally, it is important to collaborate with other creators, use social media to drive traffic to your own platform, and focus on building a community rather than just an audience. Finally, it is essential to regularly back up your work and data in order to protect yourself from being de-platformed.
- Diversify Your Creator Portfolio
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Today, I’m talking to Jay Clouse, a creative entrepreneur, and all-around amazing human being. We’re talking about keeping it all together as a solo creator, what makes a personal brand work, and how important authenticity is in building an audience.
00:00:00 What to do about all the attention-grabbing out there
00:05:00 A trust-based paradigm for your work
00:12:15 The importance of being a human being and not a brand
00:18:11 Challenges of aligning all of your projects under one umbrella.
00:23:02 Can you even find good names at the start?
00:28:57 The importance of having a backlog of ideas.
00:32:37 Will I ever get to this level of quality?
00:37:05 Choosing priorities
00:43:11 The mechanics of building community & building relationships with people
00:46:15 Teaching sentient beings to do things that are good for them (and good for you)
00:50:42 An audience is like an insurance policy
- Creative Commitments with Jay Clouse
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Sharing your work and process in public can be difficult for introverted entrepreneurs and creators, but it can help build credibility and trust with your audience, gather valuable feedback and insights, and even lead to new opportunities. Tips for sharing in public include reframing why you do it, taking it slow and steady, breaking it into small chunks, scheduling posts, and engaging in conversations. Setting specific goals for the amount of sharing you want to do each week or month can help you stay on track.
- Realistic Building in Public for Introverted Founders
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Today, I’m talking to Ana Bibikova, a defender and cheerleader for introverts in entrepreneurship. Ana knows what it means to be skeptical of loud and salesy marketing tactics. They might work great for extroverts, but not so much for the quiet types. Today, we’ll talk about how you can build a public-facing brand without resorting to all the obnoxious and much-too in-your-face tactics. We’ll talk about being introverted, working with introverts, and serving introverts. Here’s Ana.
00:00:00 Entrepreneurship and Introversion
00:10:13 Growing up being introverted without knowing what it is
00:16:57 A History of Introversion
00:22:49 The loud and shouty approach to social media
00:27:33 How do you stay quiet when you’re selling?
00:34:07 You’re the magnet for signals from the people around you
00:42:45 How to do self-promotion as an introvert vs. an extrovert
00:49:03 You attract what you put out, not what you say
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
Yesterday, the creator economy learned that Gumroad, a platform where creators have been building their businesses by selling their services and products, increased their prices significantly. That caused a lot of backlash in the community, with people threatening to switch to other platforms and criticizing how the price hike was communicated. It’s been an intense topic of community discussion.
Today, I am talking to Sahil, the CEO of Gumroad, about what prompted this change, what happened to cause such a stir, and where Gumroad is heading in the future. Here’s Sahil.
When it comes to selling a small indie business, defensibility is a key factor that potential buyers will consider. A unique moat, or competitive advantage, lets your business stands out from the competition and is seen as a valuable acquisition.
Many small founders sell their businesses because they want to get rid of them, and that attracts bargain hunters. It’s easy to negotiate a founder down when they feel pressure to sell a business that’s not very stable or profitable in the first place.
Being able to show that potential competitors have to climb a rather sizeable barrier to entry into your market will net you a significant premium when it’s valuation time. The absence of such a moat around your entrepreneurial castle will push down the price you can ask for. While buyers will still acquire profitable businesses without an oversized advantage, it’s a good idea to consider how you can set up a moat around your business. It will make things much easier.
- Build a Defensible Indie Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Today, I am talking to Andrew Gazdecki, a pillar of the founder community and himself founder of the acquisition platform formerly known as MicroAcquire — but we’ll learn more about that on the show. Besides organizing millions of dollars worth of acquisitions every month, Andrew is a true teacher. His content on building software businesses is spectacularly useful. And fortunately, he will share a lot of it with us today.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:54 Founder and personality
00:04:19 MicroAcquire: the first venture
00:09:51 On being relatable
00:13:42 From B2B to Human2Humman
00:20:10 What was missing in the market?
00:27:07 What makes a business more sellable?
00:32:14 Tips for selling your business
00:39:07 Working in the business vs. working on the business
00:46:47 You can’t succeed without failure
00:52:59 Any exit, no matter how small, is a good step
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
We've been taught to believe that creators are only truly successful when they reach the top echelon of their platform, with millions of followers and likes. But this is a false notion that doesn't accurately reflect what success looks like for creators — or what “success” is about in the first place.
The truth is that success for creators comes in many different forms, and it usually doesn’t depend on reaching the top of the platform. There are many creators who have found success by building a loyal and engaged audience in a very specific niche, even if they “only” have a few thousand followers. These creators have found ways to meaningfully connect with their audience and provide value to them, which is what ultimately leads to success.
- Avoid Vanity Metrics
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
I am talking to Rosie Sherry, proprietor of Rosieland and community empowerment expert. She runs her own communities, monetizing a few of them, and has been managing the IndieHackers community in the past. Rosie is an expert all things community and education. And that's precisely what we'll talk about today.
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
There is a huge difference between building a product, a business, and a company. It's a progression from one to the other, usually involving making significant changes in your life. Requirements change, and so does our lifestyle to make our dreams possible.
Ideally, we have a master plan on how to get there.
But in reality, we have to pay bills, take care of our family, and deal with the often unexpected hardships of life.
And while everyone's situation is unique, many entrepreneurs have found ways to finance their business-building journeys and make ends meet. That's what we'll be talking about today.
- Paying the Bills With Your First Indie Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Today, I am talking to Jakob Greenfeld. I’ve been reading Jakobs blog posts for years now, and they’re as spicy as they’re thoughtful. There’s not a single post on there that feels unfinished. That’s quite impressive. Well, I think we’ll figure out why that is during our conversation. We’ll also chat about how to unlock critical thinking by writing and what it means to give yourself permission to do things your way.
Here’s Jakob Greenfeld.
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
In my conversation with Daniel Vassallo this week, I learned that Daniel uses social media —Twitter in particular— to find inspiration for his own work as a teacher and content creator. Intentionally doomscrolling Twitter to come up with writing prompts and business ideas? Why not!
If we consider this a strategic effort, not just wasting our time on social media, let's develop a few frameworks that lead to more tangible results.
Today, I want to talk about finding ideas, problems, and points of tension that hint at practical business opportunities on social media.
- Find Business Ideas on Social Media
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Today, I am talking to Daniel Vassallo, writer, founder, and person with very strong opinions. He is building a portfolio of small bets in public, on Twitter. I will talk to him about the importance of making money in diversified ways, how to structure your life around being a founder, and how to figure out which business ideas might actually work.
Here is Daniel Vassallo.
What is the lifetime value of a subscription business? 1:12
Different kinds of software fit different pricing models. 5:04
What is a portfolio of small bets? 9:30
Business is unpredictable. You need to radically reduce the input. 13:48
What common things do you share with other entrepreneurs? 17:46
Don’t try to be too novel. 21:31
What’s a good approach to spreading out your experiments? 26:14
What is the best price for your business? 40:08
How Pieter Levels’ portfolio has changed over time. 45:58
How you can use social media to get new ideas. 51:26
Sometimes it’s something seemingly unrelated that opens your eyes to a new way of doing things. 55:01
Links:
- Daniel's Revenue/Days on Market graph.
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
I was talking to Damon Chen, who built Testimonial.to to $400.000 in ARR this week, and at one point, he mentioned that he isn’t looking into selling his business just yet. Maybe even never.
That got me thinking.
While we all want to build sellable businesses, is there such a thing as selling too early? How can we determine when that phase ends and when it’s time to get acquired? Should we even do that, ever?
Let’s look into why we might want to hold on to our business even when acquirers come knocking.
And by the way, if you’re just starting out on your founder journey and you think that this would be a nice champagne problem to have, don’t underestimate having these things figured out in advance.
- Why You Shouldn’t Sell Your Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
Today, I am talking to Damon Chen, the founder behind Testimonial.to, a social proof tool that has recently reached $400.000 in annual recurring revenue. Now that’s extremely impressive, particularly considering that Damon got it there all by himself.
So, let’s just ask him how this family man accomplished such growth while living in one of the most expensive places you could build a business in. Here’s Damon Chen.
LonelyDev is a community that I built to solve my own problem. 1:01
Lonely Dev turned into IndieLog. 4:09
How to get out of a full-time job to start a business. 12:55
Why you need to be healthy and whole to be able to build a good business. 19:33
Why you need to add video reviews to your landing page. 26:31
Video and authenticity 31:30
There is a point where you reach saturation and you need help. 36:20
What is your exit plan for your business? 42:27
The importance of having a good exit strategy. 47:18
The importance of having a community to support bootstrappers. 51:16
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
Earlier this week, I talked to Michele Hansen of Geocodio on The Bootstrapped Founder Podcast. Michele co-founded the business with her husband and ran it as a side project for several years. Now, that's a long time to wait before you commit full-time to a project. We also learned during our conversation that there are many ways of determining when the right time is to make that leap: for me, it was reaching a specific revenue figure, and for Michele, it was something else entirely.
So let's explore this critical step today. When should you go from side-project to full-time? What are the significant catalysts that speed up this process?
- When Should You Go from Side-Project to Full-Time?
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
I am talking to Michele Hansen, the co-founder of Geocodio, an indie SaaS business in the world of mapping and geolocation. I've been a fan of her work, both as a founder and as an active member of the Indie Hacker community for years now.
I followed her journey with the business just as much as her foray into writing her first book, Deploy Empathy. Michelle really gets the founder community, and she's a respected teacher of all things customer development.
In this episode, we chat about finding the right time to commit to a business, learning when to say no, finding your niche, and learning languages. Enjoy!
You can find Michele on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mjwhansen/. Also, check out her book Deploy Empathy.
Here is a short summary of the topics discussed in this episode:
How do you set boundaries with a podcast? 3:08
How do you judge what you say against what someone else would perceive as useful for themselves? 9:23
How do you make sure you serve the right customers? 13:06
Focus on what you already have instead of where you can go. 19:47
Work in progress vs. goals. 23:13
The journey is the interesting part, not the destination. 28:54
The challenge of self-actualization after a big transition. 31:58
What was the sign that it was time to go full-time? 39:14
The financial hurdle of being an entrepreneur in the US. 42:35
Where the fear of losing everything comes from. 48:09
The mean voice in your head speaking. 51:43
Being able to recognize your own growth is a big part of entrepreneurship. 57:38
Low expectations allow you to surprise yourself, which leads to a better result. 1:00:47
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Here's the blog post for this episode.
You can also watch this episode as a video on YouTube.
In a world where everyone talks about disruption and hustling, the concept of a calm business can seem out of place or even naive. How can you compete with people who spend 80 hours a week working in their businesses —publicly boasting about their so-called "grindset"— when you treat your fledgling business as a side project that you only work on in the evenings?
For many entrepreneurs, calmness is a pipe dream—a nice fantasy but impossible to accomplish.
As you can probably imagine, I beg to differ. Running a calm business is definitely possible, and the perception of it being a flawed concept
often lies in a few myths and wrongful assumptions that I want to debunk today.
- Calm Business Misconceptions
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
- Zero to Sold & The Embedded Entrepreneur, my books on entrepreneurship
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
For most founders, running a business is juggling hot coals while riding on a unicycle. It's a stressful occupation, requiring constant vigilance, and offers barely any downtime to recover or relax.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
- Operating a Calm SaaS Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
One of the biggest points of confusion for any software business is pricing. It often takes months, if not years, to find a working way to charge your customers, and even then, you'll need to adjust it over time. Pricing is never done, and often, it doesn't work.
But fortunately, there are a few foundational choices you can make to keep your pricing efforts calm and manageable.
Today, we'll look at what dimensions to price along, what kinds of subscriptions to offer, and which pricing models to avoid.
- Pricing for Calm SaaS Businesses
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by RailsDevs.com and MicroAcquire.
Building a software product is both incredibly simple and excruciatingly complicated. You can build a new mind-blowingly helpful feature within hours, sometimes even minutes. But if you make the wrong technology choices, you might be rewarded with several months of additional work a few years later.
Let's talk about building a product that can carry your SaaS business to success calmly and intentionally.
- Product Development for Calm SaaS Businesses
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
When you're building an audience-centric and community-first business, you're delaying finding your business idea and building your product for as long as possible. First, you look into your market, validate the existence of a budget, and zero in on a critical problem to which people need a solution.
And even now, we're not talking about the product yet.
But we will talk about solving the problem. And there's a difference.
- Solution Exploration for Calm SaaS Businesses
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
- The Toxicity of Growth Hacks
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
- Problem Discovery for Calm SaaS Businesses
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
Arvid shares how he picks a market for a new business.
- Market Analysis for Calm SaaS Businesses
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
- On Art and Artifice
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
- Infrastructure of a Calm SaaS Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by The $100 MBA Show and MicroAcquire.
- Entrepreneurial Strategies & Anti-Patterns for a Calm SaaS Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by The $100 MBA Show and MicroAcquire.
- Business Models for a Calm SaaS Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by The $100 MBA Show and MicroAcquire.
- Fundamentals of a Calm SaaS Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by The $100 MBA Show and MicroAcquire.
- Fundamentals of a Calm Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- How NOT to Use Twitter DMs
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Don't blame the market; blame your marketing
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- On Saying No
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- The Risks and Illusions of the "Post-Exit Retirement"
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Permission to Follow Up: The Difference Between Owned & Borrowed Audiences
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Consulting in Public
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Founder Stories are Powerful Assets
- Find your Following, my Twitter course — now with Find your Following Essentials, the 7-day Twitter crash course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- The Forever Transaction
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Building in public and Legacy
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Parasocial Relationships: Imaginary Friends of the Social Network Age
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Should Freelancers Offer Free Trials?
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Choose Your Own Adventure: Creator, Curator, Commentator, or Connector
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Scalable Customer Service for Bootstrappers
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Managing Expectations: Making Good (on) Promises.
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- You Don’t Need to be an Extrovert to Build in Public — an Introvert’s Perspective
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Why Founders End Up Unemployable
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Seven Kinds of Entrepreneurial Debt
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Entrepreneurial Anti-Patterns — What to Avoid When You're Starting a Business
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- What Founders Can Learn from Professional WoW Gamers
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- How I Find Twitter Content Ideas
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire. If you want to hear Charlie Joseph’s story, we interviewed him here (12mins long): https://youtu.be/145p-ipgIw0
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- How I (Fortunately) Failed to Launch an NFT Collection
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
This episode is a rebroadcast of my appearance on the Software Social Podcast with Michele Hansen. The episode there is called How to Use Twitter Effectively (feat. Arvid Kahl) and we go way beyond that in the conversation. We touch on building in public, mental health, empowerment, and kindness.
You can find more information on my course here: Find your Following.
- The SaaS Market Maturity Paradox
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire. Here's an interview with the founder featured in this episode.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- The Power of the Narrative when Building in Public
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire. Here's an interview with the founder featured in this episode.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Building in Public and Negativity
- My Twitter Space appearance
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire. Here's an interview with the founder featured in this episode.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- Purchasing Power Parity Pricing
- Find your Following, my Twitter course
- The Big Mac index
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire. Here's an interview with the founder featured in this episode.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
This episode is sponsored by MicroAcquire.
If you're thinking about selling a startup, you'll want to check out MicroAcquire.
- The Performative Nature of Building in Public: A View From the Inside
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
- Building in Public: Maintaining a Positive Self-Image
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
- What Founders Can Learn From Web3 Community-Building (And What They Can't)
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
- Twitter: The Gathering. How and Where to Find the Right Followers
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
- Building in Public: How to Build a Minipoly
This episode is sponsored by FE International.
Curious about how much your business could be worth and if now is the time to sell? FE International offers free valuations. Go to FEInternational.com to learn more.
- Building in Public: How Radical Transparency Hurts Founders
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Building in Public: Oversharing
- Black Friday Deal on Gumroad (use `bf21` for 50% discount on checkout)
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Passive Income and Entrepreneurship
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Cold Email for Interesting People.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Building in Public: What to Share at Which Stage of Your Journey
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Innowayt.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Building in Public: Taking Breaks
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Logology.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Building in Public: Balancing Building and Sharing
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Typesense.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Too Little, Too Much: Advice and How to Take It
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Indie Worldwide.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Burnout
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Podopi.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- What Founders Can Learn From the Facebook Outage
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
The guest sponsor this week is Dawn.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
This episode of the Bootstrapped Founder podcast is sponsored by Balsamiq, makers of Balsamiq Wireframes, the OG of low-fidelity wireframing tools.
If you want a promo code for Balsamiq, go to balsamiq.com/go/bootstrapped-founder/
- Audience-building is not Community-Building
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Pivoting in Public: Risks and Opportunities
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Why Reading Fiction Is Important for Entrepreneurs
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Consistency, Accountability, and Perseverance
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Of Tangibility and Lawnmowers
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- The Creeping Nature of Stress for a SaaS Founder
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Why Competition is Good For Business
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- What Watching Gamers Fail for Days Can Teach You About Entrepreneurship
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Conversations are at the Core of Engagement
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- The Myth of the Immediate Payoff
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Say Thank You
- Zero to Sold Audiobook — Anniversary Edition
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Competition Isn't Always a Business
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Selfish vs. Selfless: Self-Promotion in Communities
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Properties of an Interesting Problem
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- The Line Between Stealing and Being Inspired
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Audience-Building and Relatable Content
- The ProductHunt Page for The Embedded Entrepreneur
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Platform Risk and the Three Kinds of Audiences
- The Embedded Entrepreneur
- The Indie Hackers post
- The Launch Tweet
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold or The Embedded Entrepreneur.
- Impostor Syndrome and Building Capital
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
- Entrepreneurship, Job Security, and Wealth Creation
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
- Accountability Systems for Founders
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
- All That Glitters Is Not Gold: Navigating Bootstrapping Advice
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
- SaaS, Self-Talk, and Many Small Bets
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
- Audience Graduation
- Gergely's Book "Building Mobile Apps at Scale"
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
Lifetime Deals and SaaS Businesses
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.
The Goals of Audience-Building
The podcast currently has no sponsors. If you would like to support me, please consider buying a copy of my book Zero to Sold.