In this episode, Nik Suresh returns to the show to discuss his first year running a bootstrapped services company. And no, he probably will not throat punch or pile drive you.

Nik explains why he moved away from hourly billing to fixed pricing, why writing code is often the least profitable part of a project, and how to spot "status games" in the tech industry. We also dive into the current state of AI, why bad leadership is the real problem behind failed tech initiatives, and trade stories about MMA and boxing.

We debunk the myth that starting a business has to be miserable, explore the performative nature of "hustle culture" in Silicon Valley, and break down why engineers often struggle with consulting sales.