Startups For the Rest of Us

Episode 801 | Competing Against Incumbents, Technical Co-Founders, Trademarks, and More Listener Questions with Derrick Reimer


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Can churn ever be good in SaaS?

In this episode, Rob Walling is joined by fan favorite Derrick Reimer for a listener Q&A. They break down what it takes to compete with well-funded incumbents, how to decide whether to pivot or push forward, when a technical co-founder is truly necessary, the right time to think about trademarks, and the difference between “good churn” and “bad churn” especially when customers fall outside your ICP.

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Topics we cover: 
  • (3:35) – Competing with well-funded incumbents
  • (12:47) – Should you focus on competitors or customers?
  • (20:20) – Pivot, press on, or move on: how to decide
  • (29:09) – Finding and vetting a technical co-founder or partner
  • (39:04) – When should you pursue trademarks?
  • (44:24) – Is churn ever good for a startup?
  • Links from the Show: 
    • MicroConf US 2026 - Portland, Oregon - Use Promo Code ROB50 for $50 off.
    • MicroConf Connect
    • BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)
    • SavvyCal
    • Derrick Reimer | LinkedIn
    • Derrick Reimer (@derrickreimer) | X
    • If you have questions about starting or scaling a software business that you’d like for us to cover, please submit your question for an upcoming episode. We’d love to hear from you!

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      Startups For the Rest of UsBy Rob Walling

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