Founders Gone AI

From First User to Feature Fatigue: Inside a SaaS Startup

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Midlife CriSaaS: Adventures in SaaS Entrepreneurship

Welcome to "Midlife CriSaaS," the podcast where three middle-aged friends, Kevin, Steve, and Jeff, take you along on their raw and authentic journey through the ups and downs of building Bootstrap SaaS businesses. They'll delve into all aspects, from their first user signups to the grueling late-night debugging sessions, all without external funding. If you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a fan of startups, or curious about the adventures of these three in their midlife journey, this podcast is your backstage pass to their experiences.

Timestamps:
  • 00:00:00 - Podcast introduction and welcoming listeners
  • 00:01:12 - Discussion on using SuperTokens for authentication
  • 00:04:19 - Zoom app authentication infrastructure talk
  • 00:06:30 - Steve's experience with HTMX after meetup with Rob Walling
  • 00:09:22 - Feedback from Rob Walling to Steve and Jeff on their ventures
  • 00:15:18 - Kevin's SEO efforts and reflections on marketing
  • 00:20:38 - Strategies for customer acquisition cost (CAC) and affiliate programs
  • 00:27:00 - Artificial Intelligence's role in content creation vs human touch
  • 00:29:02 - Identifying the right customer acquisition strategies
  • 00:34:49 - The impact of genuine storytelling in content marketing
  • 00:38:29 - Final thoughts and asking for podcast reviews
    • Important Discussions:
    • Starting a SaaS with SuperTokens: The convenience and challenges of using an open-source framework for authentication capabilities and its potential advantages over using traditional ones like Auth0.
    • Adventures in Frontend Development: Contemplating a move from React to HTMX for development work, after learning about it from a meetup with Rob Walling.
    • SEO versus Paid Ads: Kevin's thought process on focusing on SEO for growing his business organically rather than investing heavily in paid ads.
    • Marketing philosophies: The podcast hosts' views on the importance of knowing when and where to market your product, and ensuring customer acquisition methods align with business sustainability.
    • Content Creation: Strategies for making written content more engaging, including the power of storytelling and having a clear opinion or angle in articles.
      • Key Takeaways:
      • Authenticity and persistence can be key in working through frustrations with new technologies and frameworks.
      • Direct feedback from experienced entrepreneurs can be critical to validating and shaping business ideas.
      • The importance of understanding your Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) and finding sustainable ways to attract and retain customers.
      • Even in highly technical fields, emotional connection and storytelling are crucial elements for successful communication and marketing.
        • Resources Mentioned:
        • SuperTokens - Authentication framework https://supertokens.com/
        • HTMX - A new approach to front-end development https://htmx.org/
        • Rob Walling - Startup expert and founder of TinySeed https://robwalling.com/
        • The Mom Test book for user interviews and customer development techniques http://momtestbook.com/

          • Remember to subscribe and leave a review if you found the podcast valuable!

          Intro and Outro by "Sapajou - The Way To You" is under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 3.0) license Music promoted by BreakingCopyright: https://bit.ly/bkc-the-way
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          Founders Gone AIBy Kevin & Steve